The second round of the Late Bloomer Series was featured on Wednesday evening at Sudbury Downs
with a quartet of $7,500 divisions on the menu. The series is for five-year-olds and younger who are non-winners of one race or $15,000 (FM $20,000) lifetime as of September 23.
Despite scoring a win in the first leg of the series, Ramember was sent to post as the 10-1 fifth choice in the first division of round two action. With Wayne MacLean in the sulky, the four-year-old gelding cleared the lead at the first quarter marker and turned back a challenge from the first-over Winsmith Bliss (David Dowling) past three-quarters en route to a 2:00.4 victory by a length. Favourite Viking Intimidator (Mike Dowling) finished second off a pocket trip with fellow first leg winners I Am Sam Iam (Serge Pharand) and Terror Talk (Gerry Belanger) coming in third and fourth. Paul Walter trains and owns the son of Rambaran-Ember with Nancy Knockwood of London and Kevin Peck of Dorchester, Ont. Ramember notched his third win in 12 starts this year.
In the second division Dance With Me, a 4-1 second choice, and driver Justin Turcotte got away seventh but swept three-wide at the third quarter mark and sprinted home in :29 seconds to win in 2:00 flat. 19-1 Easy Livin Floppy (Steve Skilton) finished one length behind in second over pacesetter and favourite Pontiac Joe (Pat Barr), who won his division last week. The four-year-old daughter of Arturo-Ultra Duck is trained by Cory Fuller for James and Alan Wilson of Dundalk, Ont. The win was her second of the year in 13 starts.
With Steve Skilton at the lines, favourite Towners Rainman pulled the pocket en route to the half and held off the early leader Lonestar Special (Justin Turcotte) in the stretch to win the next split in 2:01 by a half-length for conditioner Mike Lamoureux. Lima Powerhouse (Robert Bodkin, Jr.) rounded out the top three. The sophomore son of Towners Big Guy-Summer Of Rain won for the fourth time in 12 seasonal starts for owner Mary Jessica Lamoureux of Chelmsford, Ont.
Verbal Warning, the 8-1 fourth choice, went wire-to-wire to score a decisive five-length win in 1:59 in the final "Bloomer" event of the night. After a first-over journey, first leg winner and fan favourite Heavenly Magic (Gerry Belanger) faded in the stretch. Later Raider(Justin Turcotte) moved three-deep at the third checkpoint to come on for second and My Yankee Lady (David Dowling) finished third. Richard Turcotte drove the winning Cammibest-Mabel Mabel three-year-old for trainer Rick Shakes, who shares ownership with John Williamson of Hanmer, Ont. The win was his second in 17 tries.
To view Wednesday's harness racing results, click here.