A set of high-end conditioned events for trotters highlighted Monday’s card of racing at Woodbine Racetrack, with top honours going to Windsong Magic and A Rod Hall.
Windsong Magic captured her $20,000 tilt in 1:54.2 for the tandem of driver Jody Jamieson and trainer Jeff Gillis.
Jamieson and his charge cleared to the top at the quarter pole in :26.4, and after posting middle panels of :56.4 and 1:26.1 they used a :28.1 closing panel to win by 2-1/2 lengths over Honor Above All. Race favourite Batoutahill rallied from last to finish third.
It was a new lifetime mark for the four-year-old daughter of Kadabra-Diamond Image, who is owned by Gillis and partners Mac Nichol and Gerald Stay. It was the first win of the season in three attempts for the career winner of $87,380.
In stark contrast to the method in which Windsong Magic used to win her assignment, A Rod Hall steamrolled from far back to win his $20,000 affair in 1:54.4 for trainer/driver Michiel Vanderkemp.
The gelding got away ninth in the 10-horse affair, and that’s a position he held for the opening half of the contest. Second Sister, Olympic Son and Covert Operative took turns on the lead through first-half panels of :26.2 and :56.3, with the latter then slicing out the third quarter in 1:26.2. Vanderkemp had his charge rolling in the third quarter while racing sixth on the outside, and the gelding’s :27.2 closing panel earned him the neck decision over Platoon Seelster. Also beaten just a neck was third-place finisher Zeus Lightning.
Sent off at odds of 5-1, the five-year-old son of Deweycheatumnhowe-Armbro Archer scored the win for Ken Fitzgerald, William Latimer, Jeff McFadden and Jeff Roberts. The win improved his 2017 record to 2-1-0 from three starts, and the lion’s share of the loot lifted the nine-time winner’s career earnings to $113,210.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Woodbine Racetrack.