Making her return to Georgian Downs after a pair of starts at Woodbine Racetrack, Flora Dream turned in a winning effort Saturday in the $15,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred
Trot, which took place between six divisions of the Robert Simpson Claiming Series.
With Scott Coulter back in the bike for trainer Ben Baillargeon, Flora Dream watched from fourth as 6-5 favourite Countess Stormont (Jonathan Drury) put up fractions of :28.3, 1:01 and 1:29.2.
At the half, Georgian newcomer Mz Friendly (Mike Langdon) moved out from third with Flora Dream, the 9-5 second choice, following. Making a three-wide backstretch brush past the third quarter mark, Flora Dream swept out and around her cover and sprinted home in :28.3 for the 1:58.2 score.
Countess Stormont had to settle for the runner-up’s share of the purse, finishing a length and a quarter behind while Mz Friendly rounded out the top three.
Flora Dream, a five-year-old Taurus Dream-Klelia mare, has recorded four wins, seven seconds and four thirds in 20 starts this year earning $61,851 for owners Leo Tourigny of Becancour, Que., and Lapharmaciedekedgwick Inc. of Kedgwick, N.B. Her 14th career win pushed her earnings to $214,298.
The first leg of the Robert Simpson Claiming Series for $5,000 claiming pacers featured six $5,000 divisions.
That Place, the 5-1 third choice, and driver Simon Allard won the card’s opener in wire-to-wire fashion, holding off the pocket-sitting Born For Winning (Scott Zeron) by a quarter length in 1:56.4. Follow You Home (Tony Kerwood) closed well from the backfield to get third. Andrew Carss trains and owns the six-year-old Artsplace gelding, who won for the fifth time in 20 seasonal starts, with Dr. Charles Hall of Erin, Ont.
Astro Influence and Coulter went all the way to win the next division in 1:56.1 with the pocket-sitting Cameo Morley (Dan Clements) finishing a half length behind in second and favourite Dewys Place (Simon Allard) travelling first up for third. The winning son of Astreos posted a 15-1 upset for trainer-owner Dale Heard of Barrie, Ont. For Astro Influence, the victory was his fifth in 44 starts as a six-year-old.
A pocket trip worked out in Summit Hanover’s favour in the following split. Using a :28-second closing quarter, the 5-2 second choice kicked away by two lengths for the 1:55.4 triumph. Favourite Armbro Brando (Mike Langdon), who set the pace, finished second and Wellington Scooter (Simon Allard) completed the triactor. Bill Robinson trains the Arturo veteran, a winner of seven in 34 starts this year, for Gerrie Tucker of Montreal, Que.
Ceiba De Chakrika, sent postward at odds of 9-2, sat third for most of the mile before sprinting home for the two and a quarter length victory in 1:55.2. Coulter handled the driving for trainer and part-owner Rene Allard and Gilles Fleury of Mascouche, Que. Laukona (Scott Zeron) was the runner-up with pacesetter Pilgrims Place (Mike Langdon) finishing third. The four-year-old son of Electric Stena matched his life’s mark with his fourth win of 2009.
Tessters Odd Sock pocketed a 1:56.2 victory in the next event for teamster Tony Kerwood and trainer Mike Lamoureux. The five-year-old son of Usher Hanover, who is owned by Kevin Skilton of Barrie and Richard Doyle of Marmora, Ont., prevailed by three-quarters of a length over pacesetter and favourite Whitesand MacGyver (Mike Langdon). Owen More (Keith Jones) finished third. Tessters Odd Sock picked up his 13th win in 30 outings this year.
Simon Allard drove the first winner in the opening leg of the series and he also captured the last with the Rene Allard-trained Coolo Breezo. The favoured sophomore son of Modern Art went gate-to-wire in 1:56.3, winning by a length and a half over Lexus Norm (Ryan Holliday) and Double D Jeffrey (Mike Langdon). Kenneth Fraser of Ayr and Sharon Heldmann of Drumbo, Ont. co-own the winner of three races in 21 starts this year.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click here.