Impressive Dude lived up to his name with a gate-to-wire victory in the $9,500 featured conditioned trot on the 10-race Sunday (Jan. 28) card at Flamboro Downs.
Leaving from post four in the field of nine, driver J Harris was intent on grabbing the lead from the outset, hustling Impressive Dude to a 1-1/2-length lead to the opening quarter in :28.1. Impressive Dude continued to lead as pocket-sitter Boomandbust went off-stride on the way to the half allowing Run Like Hill and Samuel Fillion to move into second at the half in :58. Impressive Dude maintained his lead on the backstretch as Run Like Hill thought better of popping the pocket on the way to three-quarters and remained on the leader's back through that station in 1:27.1.
Turning for home with a two-length advantage, Impressive Dude remained strong on the lead, trotting home in :30.3 over the 'good' track to score the victory by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:57.4. Run Like Hill held for second while Treasured Tee with Travis Henry rallied for third. Sent off a 9-1, Impressive Dude paid $21.90 for the victory.
The victory was the second in four seasonal outings and the 13th lifetime for the four-year-old My MVP-Strikingimpression gelding, who is trained by Eric Nadeau and owned by Louis-Philippe Roy, Michel Letarte and Jean Allaire. The winner's share of the purse pushed the career earnings of Impressive Dude to $94,160.
Upsets were the theme of the night as Hes Stalking You delivered a 61-1 shocker in the evening's seventh race, sweeping the field with a three-wide backstretch brush to score with Austin Sorrie in the bike againt $8,000 claiming company in 1:58.2. Trained by Kelly Duval Lacaille, Hes Stalking You is now two-for-two in 2024, having scored on Jan. 21 at 16-1 against the same company. The five-year-old gelded son of Hes Watching-Sydney Seelster now sports a career bankroll of $38,893 and six career victories for owner Alexia Frigault.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Flamboro Downs.
(Standardbred Canada)