After playing the role of bridesmaid in the first two preliminary legs, Giddy Up Delight elevated his game in the $64,100 final of the Snowshoe Pacing Series on Friday night at Woodbine Racetrack and scored in a stakes record time of 1:52.2
.
With regular driver Paul MacDonell at the controls, the four-year-old gelded son of Bettors Delight-Mollin Hanover shot to early command from post five and hung up an opening quarter in :27.1.
At that point, race favourite Cane Ridge (Rick Zeron) attempted a quarter-pole move to the lead but was rebuffed by Giddy Up Delight, who kept him parked out through an opening half in :55.1. The top pair continued their battle past the third marker in a spirited 1:22.4.
Cane Ridge continued to hang in on the outside while Bruisers Brother (Mike Saftic) attempted a three-wide rally off cover as the field turned for home. In the meantime, Giddy Up Delight had more left and opened up some insurance lengths on his nine rivals.
Giddy Up Delight got to the wire with 1-1/2 lengths to spare over a hard-charging Shiftin Geartogear (Sylvain Filion), who picked up the place spot. Bruisers Brother finished third with Cane Ridge salvaging the fourth spot.
The winner returned $7.90 in winning.
It was just the third career victory for Giddy Up Delight, who recently returned to action after suffering a leg injury early last season. David Shea owns the pacer who is trained by his cousin Joey. The lion’s share of the purse boosted his career total to just over $85,000.
Live racing returns to Woodbine Saturday night with first post at 7:30 p.m. The main event is round two action of the Willowdale Pacing Series.
Zeron Reaches 7,000 Wins
A victory behind Its On My Tab in Saturday’s second race at Woodbine gave driver Rick Zeron his 7,000th career victory.
Its On My Tab scored wire-to-wire as the slight wagering favourite to give the veteran reinsman the milestone win.
Friends and family were on hand to help Zeron celebrate following the win. He is off to another good start on the WEG circuit, currently sitting third in the standings.
Allamerican Swift Upsets In Mares Open
Allamerican Swift pulled off a 10-1 surprise in the $44,000 Fillies & Mares Open Pace tonight at Woodbine when she rallied from last to first with a :27.3 final frame.
Last week’s winner, Marietta Hall (Mark MacDonald), led the way to the opening quarter in :27.3 before Four Starzz Meliss (Jason Brewer) made a backstretch brush from third. The new leader was at the half in :55.4 and began to feel pressure from the 8-5 favourite, Southwind Madonna (Lyle MacArthur), as they raced past three-quarters in 1:24.2.
Southwind Madonna edged past Four Starzz Meliss down the stretch, but Allamerican Swift and Keith Oliver came flying late to prevail in 1:52.4 by three-quarters of a length with Michelles Power (Sylvain Filion) coming on for second. Southwind Madonna finished third.
Trained by Kevin McMaster, Allamerican Swift scored her second win in three 2010 outings giving her $34,500 in earnings. The five-year-old daughter of Real Artist-Sweet Amor, who is owned by the McMaster Stables of Guelph, Ont., has won 19 times over the course of her career and has earned just under $200,000 in purses.
To view Friday’s results, click here.
(With files from WEG)