The Innisfil Cup Claiming Series ended with a dead-heat as Revenator and Pile Driver Jt, both winners in the preliminary legs, crossed the wire together in the $40,400 final on Friday night at Georgian Downs
. The series is for trotters that are non-winners of $60,000 lifetime as of Oct. 15.
Scott Coulter sent the slight favourite Pile Driver Jt ($2.60) to command from Post 5 and built up an eight-length lead as he carved out fractions of :28.2, :59.3 and 1:27.3. Meanwhile, Revenator ($2.70) and Robert Shepherd, who got away fifth from Post 3, angled off the rail from mid-pack down the backstretch and kicked into high gear. As Pile Driver Jt coasted to the wire, Revenator scooted up alongside for a dead-heat. The winning time was 1:58.4. Abs Yankees Rail (Anthony MacDonald) finished two lengths behind.
Revenator, a four-year-old son of Revenue S-Nimble Nan, is trained by Travis Umphrey and owned by Roger McDow of Nevada, Las Vegas. The gelding was a runner-up in first leg of the series on Nov. 12 and won his second leg division last week. His victory tonight gives him four wins on the year in 23 starts and pushes his earnings to $44,521.
Edward Hayter trains and co-owns Pile Driver Jt with Leisha Collins of Port Robinson, Ont. The five-year-old Duke Of York-N V Becky gelding, who won his first leg division and opted out of the second leg, notched his fifth win in 14 seasonal starts and lifted his earnings to $38,655.
To view Friday's results, click here.