Dinner Guest turned in the fastest clocking in one of five divisions in the opening leg of the Valedictory Pacing Series for three-year-old colts and geldings at Woodbine Racetrack on Friday night.
The gelded son of No Pan Intended - Beach Guest, competing in the first $20,000 split, went gate-to-wire for driver Randy Waples in 1:53.4. It was his seventh win overall in 14 starts this season and second in four tries since shipping from Western Canada into the care of local conditioner Chad Schmiedge.
Dinner Guest won his Ontario Sired Autumn Series elimination in his Woodbine debut on November 22 but finished 5th in the final of that event.
He is owned by the Ceejay Stable, Pat Elynuik and Doris McDougall of Alberta.
Driver Mario Baillargeon clicked with two divisional winners on Friday night - Warp Speed in 1:56.1 in the second split and All Pro Hall in 1:55.1 in the third.
Other division winners were Ontario Sired Autumn champion Marquis Player (1:54.3) for Sylvain Filion and Mcsamson (1:56.2) in rein to Phil Hudon.
The second leg of the Valedictory Series will go postward next Friday night at Woodbine.
In other action, Mach You And Me made her fourth consecutive trip to the winner’s circle for trainer Ron O’Neill and the Carwin Stables of Orono and the Paul MacDonell Racing Stable of Guelph, Ont.
With MacDonell in the bike, the four-year-old daughter of Mach Three sat in fifth as the favourite, Four Starzz Meliss (Rick Zeron), carved out fractions of :27.1, :56.1 and 1:25. Making her routine three-wide move at the third quarter mark, Mach You And Me angled out and sprinted home in :27.4 for the $44,000 Fillies & Mares Open Pace win in 1:53.2.
Four Starzz Meliss finished three-quarters of a length back in second while the pocket-sitter, Blissful Smile (Jack Moiseyev), finished third.
The winner of 12 races has banked $571,619 for her connections.
To view Friday’s results, click here.
(With files from WEG)