A talented group of eleven lined up behind the starting gate at Woodbine Racetrack on Sunday afternoon to contest the lone $50,000 division in the second leg of the
Glorys Comet Trotting Series, and for the second week-in-a-row Sakic Seelster found his way to victory lane.
The six-year-old son of Eager Seelster rallied from just off the pace to take last week's opening leg assignment in 1:56, and he front-stepped his way to a 1:55.1 tally in this afternoon’s follow-up effort.
Mario Baillargeon wasted no time hustling Sakic Seelster to the lead, and the gelding had the field at the quarter pole in :27.4. He held the lead through middle splits of :57.2 and 1:26.4 before uncorking a :28.2 closing panel to cement the win. Sent off at odds of 9-2, Sakic Seelster handily defeated the 2-1 favourite, Armbro Chronicle, and Macho Lindy.
It was the second win of the season in as many tries for Sakic Seelster, who is now an 18-time winner in his career for partners Santo Vena of Brampton and Nunzio Vena of Bolton, ON. The speedy square gaiter has banked $325,325 in lifetime earnings.
Conspicuous by his absence in Sunday's second leg of the series was San Pail who was an impressive 1:56 winner for trainer/co-owner Rod Hughes in the opening leg. Hughes told Trot Insider he fully expects the O'Brien Award finalist to be back in action for the final.
"I’ve got some sickness in the barn and I wanted to err on the side of caution with him," said Hughes. "He didn’t show anything himself, but I’ve got six colts in the barn and they’re all sick. So I decided to just play it safe and give him a few days off. I’ve got an appointment tomorrow at Dr. Terry Ruch’s to check out his blood and make sure everything is alright."
The $91,100 final of the Glorys Comet Trotting Series is scheduled for Sunday, January 17 at Woodbine Racetrack.
To view Sunday’s results, click here.