Three-year-old trotting colts and geldings battled in a pair of eliminations while two-year-old pacing colts and geldings sparred in a trio of eliminations of the Autumn Stakes on Monday at Woodbine Racetrack
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Twickenham got things started when he used come-from-behind tactics to take his $20,000 pacing assignment in a career-best clocking of 1:55. Rick Zeron got away sixth with the son of Peruvian Hanover-Keystone Liana while Crawfish Creek and Machinthesand battled to the quarter pole in :26.4 before the latter worked his way to the lead.
Piston Broke was roused out of the four-hole and he wasted no time brushing to the lead in the backstretch. He hit the half in :56.1 and continued to the lead the way to the three-quarter pole in 1:26.4. Twickenham picked up cover around the final turn before tipping wide for the stretch drive and using a :27-second closing panel to win by a nose over Piston Broke. Solid Performance rounded out the top three finishers.
Dr. Huw Llewellyn of Allenford, ON bred and owns the gelding, who improved his rookie record to 3-0-3 in 12 starts while pushing his lifetime earnings to $22,240 with the win.
Arthur was hammered down to be the 1-5 favourite in the second elimination, and he needed every inch of the racetrack to get up in the final strides for the winning effort. Jody Jamieson tucked the public’s top choice into the four-hole while Gerries Beach and Pansational battled to the quarter pole in a :27-second clip. Pansational worked his way to the top in the backstretch, and he proceeded to lead the field to the half in :55.2. He came under pressure from the first-over Arthur around the final turn, and he continued to feel the heat to the three-quarter pole in 1:24. Arthur’s :28.2 final quarter was just enough to earn the gelding the win by a nose over Pansational in 1:52.3. Sky Mcfly rallied to finish third.
Tony Alagna trains the son of Modern Art-Magical Leah for owner/breeder John Carver of Bettendorf, IA. The pacer has manufactured a 3-0-2 record in his first five starts while banking $33,060 in the process.
Twin B Wrangler turned in a punishing effort in the final elimination for the duo of driver Jody Jamieson and trainer Travis Umphrey. The son of Mach Three-Stryper got away third and watched Stonebridge Art front-step the field to the quarter pole in :28.1. The pocket-sitting Machs Beach Boy tipped off the rail in the backstretch and quickly charged to the lead. He was in control of the temp at the half in :57.2, but Jamieson applied quick pressure by going into attack mode with Twin B Wrangler. The gelding cleared to the top shortly past the half and he motored to the three-quarter pole in 1:25.4 before using a :27.1 final frame to win by 3-3/4 lengths over Machs Beach Boy. Third prize was earned by Stonebridge Art.
Trainer Travis Umphrey of Guelph co-owns the lightly-raced youngster with Mac Nichol of Burlington, ON and Derek Wilson of Okotoks, AB. The five-time starter has put together a 2-2-1 record while banking $30,410 along the way.
Here's the field for next week's final:
$60,000 Autumn Stakes Final
1. Pansational
2. Twickenham
3. Arthur
4. Twin B Wrangler
5. Machs Beach Boy
6. Stonebridge Art
7. Crawfish Creek
8. Piston Broke
9. Solid Performance
10. Sky Mcfly
Meadowview Arty earned a lifetime mark of 1:55.4 in the opening elimination for the sophomore trotters. The son of Ken Warkentin-Meadowview Marion survived a first-over trip to win for the tandem of driver Steve Byron and trainer Mike Wade.
Bryon tucked the gelding into the five-hole going towards the first turn while Oaklea Trace, Marlex Paid and Oaklea Trace battled to the quarter pole in a :27-second clip. Indian Lake emerged from that scrum and gained the lead, and he proceeded to lead the way to the half in :56.2. He was still in charge at the three-quarter pole in 1:26.2, but Meadowview Arty was first over and hot on the leader’s heels. A :29-second closing frame was good enough for Meadowview Arty to win by a length over Oaklea Trace, with Indian Lake taking home the show dough in the $25,000 tilt.
Bred and owned by Meadowview Farms Inc of Orono, ON, Meadowview Arty improved his juvenile record to 6-3-3 in 23 tries while bumping his overall earnings to $54,565.
Vimy Ridge took the other elimination in a personal-best clocking of 1:56.1 for the team of driver Sylvain Filion and trainer Rob Fellows. The son of Kadabra-Sahalee was parked past the quarter pole in :27.3 by Hearthetrainacomin before working his way to the lead, and he was under pressure from Cool Guy at the mid-way point in :56.2. Cool Guy led the charge to the three-quarter pole in 1:26.4, but Filion and Vimy Ridge were off the rail and getting set to mount another challenge. A :29.1 final quarter propelled Vimy Ridge to the score by 1-1/2 lengths over even-money favourite, Hearthetrainacomin, with third prize going to High Stakes Banker.
Bred and owned by partners Michael Pozefsky of Saratoga Springs, NY and Edward Wilson of Seagrave, ON, Vimy Ridge improved his record to 2-0-1 from three starts with the win. The lightly-raced youngster has banked to $26,250.
Here’s the field for next week’s final:
$60,000 Autumn Stakes Final
1. High Stakes Banker
2. Vimy Ridge
3. Meadowview Arty
4. Calipari
5. Cool Guy
6. Oaklea Trace
7. Hearthetrainacomin
8. Indian Lake
9. P L Eureka
10. Random Holdup
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Woodbine Racetrack.