Travis Cullen and Rachel Andrew's Hes Got Swagger ($10.40) rebuffed not one, but two challenges from fours-on favourite Pretty Handsome to post a 1:54 win in Sunday's (Nov. 10) featured $11,500 Preferred 2 Handicap Pace at Flamboro Downs, while Conboyville ($2.40) and St Lads Beat It ($3.30) captured their respective first-round splits of the Autumn Series for Ontario-sired pacers.
In the Preferred 2, Hes Got Swagger, driven by Cullen, threw down with Pretty Handsome (Colin Kelly) on the first turn, and the four-year-old Vintage Master gelding used his inside position to control the terms. After travelling unchallenged through splits of :27.4, :57.2 and 1:25.4, Hes Got Swagger braced for a second push from Pretty Handsome on the final turn. Cullen asked Hes Got Swagger for every ounce of energy he could muster in the stretch, and the pair prevailed by a half length. Racemup (Robert Shepherd) finished third, another four lengths back.
Andrew trains 23-time winner Hes Got Swagger.
Cullen and Andrew teamed up again to take the $8,500 Preferred 3 with Keep Coming ($29.00), lifting three-wide off the home turn to collar Bugsy Maguire by a widening length in the final yards of a 1:55.2 mile. UF Bettors Hanover rallied from farther back yet to just miss the runner-up spot. The six-year-old Mystery Chase gelding notched the 20th win of his career and his second in three tries since returning to action on Oct. 27 off a 7-1/2 month spell.
Keep Coming's win completed a training treble for Andrew, who also sent Hughgetthecredit ($4.80, 1:57.1) to victory in a $7,000 claiming pace.
Odds-on favourites Conboyville and St Lads Beat It both won their $8,500 Autumn Series events by open lengths, living up to their popular billing to take top honours.
In the first division, Robert Shepherd angled Conboyville second-over behind Mayor Mittcheese (Mario Baillargeon) into a :58.3 half. After Mayor Mittcheese worked clear of early pacesetter Farros Reign (Austin Sorrie) on the second circuit, Conboyville pressed on in the breeze to take charge on approach to the final turn. The sophomore gelded son of Dali drew clear to a 2-3/4 length win over Noneyabizzness (Tyler Moore) and Nosportpunintended (Scott Coulter) in 1:58.1.
Isabelle Darveau trains six-time winner Conboyville for owners and breeders Duncan and Shirley Buist.
The second division saw St Lads Beat It and Nick Steward reach the front over Side Hill Gouger (Preston Shaw) just after a :28.1 first panel, and then travel uncontested throughout before defeating his older company by 2-3/4 lengths in 1:57.2. Side Hill Gouger held second, while Jeffs Journey (Kelly) rallied off third-over cover to take third.
Jeffrey Williamson trains two-time winner St Lads Beat It, a juvenile Mach Three-Warrawee Cammy gelding, for Rebecca Williamson.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Flamboro Downs.