Kissed The Boys picked up her first trophy Sunday night for Steve and Vickie Desomer, splashing home by a length and three-quarters over heavily-favoured My Little Susie in the third round of Sire Stakes action for the three-year-old trotters.

The Claudius Augustus homebred kicked off her career with two sharp victories in January, but had pretty much been her own worst enemy in the ensuing four appearances before relocating the charmed enclosure last weekend and earning a red blanket in the process.

“I was happy she was able to get away from the gate well,” Steve related. “She needs a lot of schooling, but her timing was good. Once she comes away from there she’s pretty reliable. She has a lot of tenacity, especially on an off track.”

As far as the name goes, Vickie explained that her mother used to like to recite the little ditty about Georgie Porgy, and it’s a play on the part about him “Kissing the girls and making them cry.”

For the record, Kissed The Boys' win last Sunday saw her making three fillies cry along with one colt. She is now three-for-three when the track is something other than fast.

There was another interestingly-named performer who had his picture on Sunday, as Flameon prevailed in the Stan Bergstein Trot, taking full advantage of a break by 1-2 favourite Northern Stormont.

Fans of the Marvel Comics superhero The Human Torch will recall that when Johnny Storm is ready to turn into the Torch, he shouts “Flame On!” That’s exactly what the equine version did in the slop last weekend with Chip Lackey taking him coast-to-coast.

Hi Ho Houdini, Full Moon Rising clash

Hi Ho Houdini, who has rattled off four straight victories, including two Sire Stakes and the Marvin Shapiro Pace, takes on last week’s winner at this level Full Moon Rising in Sunday evening’s feature.

There will be 12 races presented and the action starts at 5:05 p.m. The $3,800 headliner goes as the fifth event with a field of eight set to face starter Kenny Fowler.

Hi Ho Houdini is a four-year-old son of Hi Ho Silverheels from the Park Place mare Holls Park who races for Lujuanna Lopez, takes his lessons from Gordie Graham and will once again have the driving services of Luke Plano.

A winner of seven of his eight lifetime appearances, Hi Ho Houdini was last seen two weeks ago proving a punctual 2-5 favourite in Sire Stakes company. Racing over a sloppy track, He did the track-and-attack to perfection for Plano and prevailed by two and three-quarters lengths over Uringoodhands that night.

Full Moon Rising looms the main rival for owners Rick and Marlene Thomas, trainer George Reider and pilot David Siegel. The five-year-old son of Little Steven has posed for pictures following three of his last four trips to the post, including a solid score under these conditions last weekend over an off track.

A reminder there are two wagers offered here each night that come with a reduced 16 percent takeout rate. They are the 50-cent Pick 5, which features a 25 percent minor pool payout; and the 20-cent Pick 4, which comes with a $40,000-guaranteed pool on Saturdays and a $25,000 guarantee on Sundays.

(with files from Cal-Expo)