Upsidedown staged a late rush to capture Monday’s co-featured $13,500 Preferred Trot at Western Fair Raceway for the dynamic duo of trainer Chris Haskell and driver Brad Forward, and that gave the trotter his 60th lifetime
victory.
Upsidedown, who was claimed earlier this year for $10,000 by current owner Cassie Nantais of Windsor, ON, has yet to finish worse than third since the acquisition.
Forward planted the 10-year-old son of Super Star Ranger into the pocket in the early stages of the mile before rallying the veteran to the narrow score in 1:59.3. Apeachtoremember set the early fractions before getting nipped in the final strides. Nobananas rounded out the top three.
Upsidedown now owns a 6-9-5 record in 30 starts this season, and that translates into more than $68,000 in earnings. He is on the verge of surpassing $450,000.
The co-featured $13,500 Preferred Pace went to Part Shark, who front-stepped his way to a 1:55 score for the tandem of driver Trevor Henry and trainer Mark Austin. The three-year-old son of Four Starzzz Shark drew off to win by more than a pair of lengths over fellow sophomore, Shortstacked. Third prize went to the veteran Button Up.
After a near miss in last week’s $11,500 Fillies & Mares Preferred Pace, Call Me Yours returned to take Monday’s edition of the class in what turned out to be a blowout. The four-year-old daughter of Your Nemesis led through fractions of :26.4, :56.2 and 1:25 before kicking home in :29.2 for driver Dave Wall, who had to be impressed with the mare’s 1:54.2 performance. Bath Beach was a distant second and St Lads Hailaroo was third.
It was the fifth win of the season and the 14th lifetime score for the homebred, who is owned and trained by Stephen Gillard of Tavistock, ON. She has banked more than $56,000 in 2009 and close to $200,000 in her career.
Also turning in a front-end victory was Cuban Seelster in the $10,000 Preferred-2 Pace. Driver Nick Steward sat second to the quarter-pole with the Ray Bunn trainee before blasting to the top and laying down middle splits of :56.3 and 1:26.3. A :30.3 final frame is all it took for him to win in 1:57.1 over Front Nine and Pacific Oak.
It was the third win of the 2009 campaign for the five-year-old son of Intrepid Seelster, who is owned by Bunn and the partnership of Dr. Tara Foy, Don Thomson and McCarthy Family Farms Ltd. He has put away more than $266,000 in lifetime earnings.
To view Monday’s harness racing results, click here.