Ontario-sired three-year-olds headlined Friday night's harness racing card at The Raceway at the Western Fair District, which played host to the 10th anniversary of the ‘Harness The Hope’ fundraising event benefitting the Breast Cancer Society of Canada.
On track, the Forest City Preview Series featured three-year-olds that have raced in the 2015 Ontario Sires Stakes program.
In the first $12,500 division for trotting colts and geldings, which was the Harness The Hope feature, the Isabelle Darveau-trained Seeyou Men went wire-to-wire and held off the pocket-pulling Ill Stay Here by a head in a two-minute mile while Boondock finished three lengths behind in third. Robert Shepherd drove the popular son of Muscle Mass to victory lane for owners Catheline Pelletier and Chantal Gravel.
Pace Seelster won the pacing colt and gelding division with a 1:57.2 front-stepping effort for driver Billy Davis Jr. and trainer Randy Van Meer, who also co-owns with Harry Locke. The favoured Camluck gelding kept first over Adore Him at bay for the three-quarter length win while Little Clayt finished third blocked in behind.
In the pacing filly division, Machin Marley romped to a three and a half length victory in 1:58 over Lady Richmond and Spilling The Beans. Meanwhile, favourite Pinky Tuscadero broke stride while racing in fourth-place at the first quarter. Nick Steward was aboard the winner for the $19.60 upset. Trainer Bryan Lawrence shares ownership of the Mach Three miss with Clark Francis and Allan Neurauter.
Friday's card was marred by an unfortunate incident involving the three-year-old pacing colt Ballybunion, driven by Nicholas Boyd. The popular Friday Dean trainee was leading in the seventh race and suddenly began to back through the field and then fell near the seven-eighths mark. He caused a bit of confusion when stalling, but the other horses were able to get around him before he fell. According to a Twitter post by Boyd, Ballybunion suffered a heart attack. The Mach Three colt was a career winner of $21,710 and four races.
Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the connections of Ballybunion.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - The Raceway.