The first leg of the Late Bloomer Series took place on Wednesday at Sudbury Downs and driver Gerry Belanger and trainer Symon Pryjma teamed up to capture the
final two $7,500 divisions featured on the program. 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.
Given a confident steer by trainer/driver Pat Barr, favourite Pontiac Joe led the way from gate to wire to win the first division by four lengths in 1:58 flat. The four-year-old son of Thatll Be Me-Pontiac Duchy notched his third straight win and fourth lifetime in 17 starts for owner/breeder William Moore of Sarnia, Ont. Sophomore fillies Later Raider (Justin Turcotte) and Lifes Advance (Wayne MacLean) finished second and third.
A two-hole tripped worked out to I Am Sam Iam’s advantage in the following split. Sent postward as the bettor’s second choice, the four-year-old altered son of Camotion-J Bs Felisa and driver Serge Pharand prevailed by three-quarters of a length over pacesetter Comprehensive (David Dowling) in 2:00.1 while Inside Dish (Gerry Belanger) rounded out the top three. The win was his third in 18 tries for trainer/breeder Edward Bassis, who shares ownership with breeder Nancy Bassis of Chelmsford and Bertholde Carter of Sudbury, Ont.
Ramember was victorious in his two minute mile for teamster David Dowling and trainer/owner Paul Walker. At odds of 29-1, the four-year-old Rambaran-Ember gelding front-stepped his way to a three-length score over three-year-old fillies So Fancy (Gerry Belanger) and favourite Rumpleluckstein (Don Gillis, Jr.). It was his second triumph in 22 starts lifetime.
With Gerry Belanger in the bike, Terror Talk, a three-year-old daughter of Western Terror-Summers Talk, journeyed first-over to post a 20-1 upset in 2:01 by a head over the tempo-setter, Winsmith Bliss (David Dowling). Favourite Towners Rainman (Justin Turcotte) rallied off second-over cover to finish a half-length behind in third. Symon Pryjma trains the winner of three races in 15 starts for owner Stephan Pryjma of Whitby, Ont.
Heavenly Magic went gate-to-wire to win the fifth and final Later Bloomer division providing the Belanger and Pryjma team with a series double. The three-year-old Jate Lobell-Heavenly Aura filly stopped the clock in 1:59.2 winning by two lengths over 112-1 longshot Viking Intimidator (Mike Dowling). Sharkey Oshea (David Dowling) finished third. The winner of five races in 14 starts is owned by Michael Timpano of Orillia, Ont.
Belanger won a grand total of four races on the 12-race program.
To view Wednesday's harness racing results, click here.