Sixteen sophomores strutted their stuff at Woodbine Racetrack on Monday evening in the first leg of the Youthful Series, with Orillia Joe and Classic Gent taking their respective $18,000 assignments.

Sent off as the 4-5 choice in the first division, Orillia Joe marched to the top and didn’t stop en route to a 1:52.4 triumph for driver Paul MacDonell. The son of Western Ideal-Cup Of Jo parked to the opening quarter in :27 before crossing down to the rail and supplying middle splits of :56.1 and 1:24.3. A :28.1 kicker was all it took for the gelding to win by a half-length margin over the pocket-sitting Glammit in a time of 1:52.4. Traumatized was third.

Dean Nixon trains the homebred for Mike Timpano of Phelpston and Jacob Nixon of Lasalle, ON. The pacer, who won his lone freshman assignment, has put together a 5-0-2 record from nine starts this season. The lion’s share of the purse boosted his bankroll to $53,220.

Undefeated in his first six starts of the season over London’s half-mile oval, Classic Gent made his way to Rexdale and went home a winner with a new lifetime mark for trainer Stanley Malec. The three-year-old son of Blissfull Hall-Northern Jade was third and parked at the quarter pole in :27.1 before being released to the top by the quarter pole-leading George Jettison. Classic Gent chopped out panels of :56.3 and 1:25.3 before summoning up :28.2 closing speed to win by 2-1/2 lengths over Shark Fantasy in 1:54. Pappys Pal rallied from far back to finish third.

Sent off at odds of 9-2, Classic Gent was a convincing winner in his Woodbine debut for owner/breeder Classic Farms of Belle River, ON. The colt has banked more than $31,000 this year and $49,460 to date.

The Youthful is for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings who are non-winners of three races or $15,000 in 2012.

The second leg of the series is scheduled for Thursday, April 4, with the $30,000 final slated for Saturday, April 13.

To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Woodbine Racetrack.