The Prospect Series wrapped up for the 2024 season on Friday evening, Oct. 11 as The Raceway at Western Fair District hosted the $15,000 finals for Ontario-sired two-year-olds with driver Travis Henry swept the pacing divisions in rein to Miss Danni Song and Five Star Lou.
The trotting fillies were up first and Vowel For Vanna ($14) converted a perfect pocket trip into a 2:00.4 career-best triumph. Bruce Richardson drove the Resolve-Harlequin Seelster filly, who overtook the leader and eventual breaker, Talbot Ehbeesea, at the third quarter mark and drew off for the 6-1 upset with favourite Sweet Swirl chasing five lengths behind and Ms Kirsi the best of the rest. A winner in the Prospect leg on Sept. 7 at Hanover Raceway, Vowel For Vanna is now two-for-10 in her career. Trainer John Holding shares ownership of the filly with Morley Bosomworth of Elora, Ont.
With Travis Henry picking up the catch-drive for trainer Mary Ratchford in a shortened field of just four pacing fillies for the next final, Miss Danni Song ($6.80) stalked in third before making the winning move approaching the third quarter mark. She won by 2-3/4 lengths in 1:57.4 with favoured Century Lunar finishing second off a pocket trip and Greystone Playgirl third. The homebred Big Jim-Gravel filly has won three of her five starts -- all in Prospect Series competition -- for owners Ronald Ash of Desboro, Ont., and Mike McLaughlin, Durham, Ont.
Henry doubled up in Prospect action sending favourite Five Star Lou ($3.60) three-wide off cover with a quarter-mile to go in the final for pacing colts and geldings and drawing clear by 1-1/2 lengths off the turn to win in 1:58.1. The son of Dancin Lou and Hakima is trained by Shawn Steacy and owned by Landmark 17 Racing Stable of Landsdowne, Ont., along with Stephen Downey of Quispamsis, N.B., Dan Mogridge of Coldwater, Ont., and breeder Esa Lahtinen of Cambridge, Ont. He has won half of his eight career starts, with three being Prospect victories.
With a late rally from the backfield for driver Dave Boughton in the final for trotting colts and geldings, Bank On Lucas ($26) swept by his rivals in deep stretch for a 12-1 upset in 2:01.3 by a quarter-length over tempo-setter Casual Guy, with Massedonia edging out even-money favourite Gin Master in a show photo. In a close call just like his past two wins in August legs of the Prospect Series, Bank On Lucas notched his third career victory from nine starts. The gelded son of The Bank out of Lucerne De Vie is owned by trainer Scott McEneny and partners Martwest Racing of Mississauga, Ont., and Cantucky Farm of Jarvis, Ont.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Western Fair Raceway.
(Standardbred Canada; Photo of Five Star Lou from a previous win)