The Ontario Graduate Series for trotters kicked off on Wednesday night at Georgian Downs with driver Anthony MacDonald winning three of the five $15,000
divisions. The first round was broken down into three contests for the colts and two for the fillies. The series is for three-year-olds that are non-winners of $50,000 in 2011 as of Oct. 2.
MacDonald opened the series with back-to-back front end winners, beginning with the Blair Burgess-trained Max Money, who romped to a six length score in 1:57.1 over the ‘good’ surface rated one second slow. Favourite Edit (Matthew Dupuis) and Random Holdup (Jason Brewer) were second and third. MacDonald was the sulky for the gelding’s second win of the season in 15 tries. Robert Burgess of Campbellville, Ont. and Karin Olsson Burgess of Milton, Ont. co-own and bred the son of Amigo Hall-Cost Certainty, who was a fifth-place finisher in the Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots Championships.
The MacDonald-driven Dabrina went wire-to-wire to win her division in 1:57.2 by one and a quarter lengths for trainer Wai Man Yeung, who co-owns with Rocco Auciello of Stouffville, Ont. Rounding out the top three finishers were favourite Tropical Breeze As (Jason Brewer) and Barbies Korvett (Stephen Byron), who finished over 16 lengths in arrears. The daughter of Kadabra-Oaklea Ina earned her first win in 14 starts this year.
Tymal Colossus stepped around early leader Finely Honed (Scott Zeron) past the half and kicked away to win the next division by nine and three-quarter lengths in 1:59 flat. Northern Cato (Sylvain Filion) and favourite Herecomesthechief (Mario Baillargeon) finished second and third. Driver Scott Wray and trainer Jack Wray share ownership of the Striking Sahbra-Chiara gelding, a breaker in the Grassroots Championships, who earned his third win in 10 seasonal starts.
With Jason Brewer in the bike, favourite Calipari advanced first up from fourth past the opening quarter mark and soared to a six length victory in 2:00.1 over the track which was downgraded to 'sloppy' with a three second variant. Cool Guy (Roger Mayotte) came on for second while early leader Bruce The Brave (Simon Allard) finished third. Anette Lorentzon trains the son of Ken Warkentin-Sheena Hall, who is now two-for-seven this year, for owner Acl Stuteri Ab of Paris, Kentucky.
MacDonald returned to the winner’s circle later on the card with another Burgess trainee, Youlneverwalkalone. The daughter of Kadabra-Coolgardie Girl front-stepped her way to a two and a half length victory in 2:00.4 over pocket-sitter Quantum Victoria (Scott Coulter). Surveillance (Reg Gassien) came on for third. Karin Olsson Burgess co-owns the winner of four races in 14 seasonal starts with Norway’s Torkil Pedersen.
To view results for Wednesday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Wednesday Results – Georgian Downs.