New Faces Click In Blossom Sequel
Blueberry Will and Windsun Glory were victorious in week one of the Blossom Series at Woodbine Racetrack, but they were nowhere to be found in Monday’s second leg.
Mattjestic Tempo turned a two-hole trip into a 5-1 mild upset in the opening division for driver James MacDonald. He managed to map out the beautiful trip behind race favourite, Westsluckycam, who sliced out splits of :27.4, :57.2 and 1:26.3. Mattjestic Tempo angled out of the pocket in the lane and used :28.4 speed to win by 1-3/4 lengths over a late-driving Noone To Depend On. Westsluckycam faded to finish third.
Trainer Blake MacIntosh co-owns the three-year-old Royal Mattjesty-Daylon Tempo miss with Stu McIntosh and Brett Authier. It was the first win of the season in 11 tries for the sophomore. The three-time winner bumped her career bankroll over $50,000 with the victory.
Heavenly Hill, who skipped the opening leg of the Blossom Series, came up big in the second division for the tandem of driver Jonathan Drury and trainer Carmen Auciello. After getting away third, the three-year-old daughter of Art Colony-Look Cheap rolled to the lead in the backstretch and proceeded to whack out middle panels of :57 and 1:25.2. She then used a :28.4 kicker to by 2-1/2 lengths over Bad As Leader in 1:54.1. Race favourite Evangelin Seelster was third.
Owned by George Munniksma of Washington, NJ, Heavenly Hill improved her 2016 record to 2-0-3 in five starts with the triumph. The four-time winner now boasts a career bankroll that stands at $117,874.
Hldontghttoyurdrms turned in a come-from-behind victory in the $34,000 Preferred Trot for driver Jonathan Drury and trainer Richard Moreau.
Sent off at odds of 8-1, the seven-year-old son of Muscles Yankee-Sweet Gabriella got away sixth while race favourite Fearless Man rolled the field through panels of :27.3, :57 and 1:25.1. Drury got into the flow going to the half, and he was three-wide and driving with his charge at the three-quarter pole. Hldontghttoyurdrms then used a :29-second closing quarter to win by a length over Zeus Lightning and Fearless Man.
Frank Spagnolo of Ottawa, Ont. owns the 23-time winner who lifted his lifetime earnings to $404,795 with the win. He’s managed to assemble a 2-4-2 record in 12 starts this year.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Woodbine Racetrack.