Suzys Solitaire and Charlie O Charlie came from off the pace to win the opening divisions of the Champion Series over a sloppy Sudbury Downs track on Saturday night
. The series, featuring two $15,000 first leg divisions, is for trotters that are non-winners of $75,000 in 2010.
Driven by David Haney, Suzys Solitaire ($8.50) sat fourth for most of the mile before kicking into high gear to edge out pacesetter King Of Song (Richard Turcotte) in 2:06 over a track rated four seconds slow. Celebrity Shark (Gerry Belanger) was third.
The victory was Suzys Solitaire’s sixth of the season in 26 starts and pushed his earnings to $45,734. Haney also trains and owns the nine-year-old gelded son of Feel Like A Winner-Meadowbranch Evita, a career winner of $352,244, with Lawrence Smith of Elmira, Ont.
Charlie O Charlie ($16.00) was gapped back in fifth through the early stages of the second division but collared pacesetter Son Of Paige (Gerry Belanger) past the third quarter station and kicked away by four lengths to score in 2:05.4. Son Of Paige stayed for second with Sos Breeze (Richard Turcotte) coming on for third.
James Green owns and trains the seven-year-old gelded son of Sjs Caviar-Ens Progression, who notched his first win of the season in six outings and pushed his earnings to $14,160 for 2010 and $159,833 lifetime.
To view Saturday’s results, click here.