It was ‘upset city’ in Thursday’s opening leg of the Niagara Series at Woodbine Racetrack, with Wonderful Charm and Bad Girl Vegas knocking off the favourite in their respective divisions.
Wonderful Charm pulled of a 5-1 surprise in her $15,000 assignment for the tandem of driver Jody Jamieson and trainer Benjamin Paquette. The three-year-old daughter of Christian Cullen-Wendy Semalu , who enjoyed a pocket trip through panels of :27.1, :56.2 and 1:25.1, split horses late to post the win by 1-1/4 lengths over Miss Poppycock in 1:56.1. Jeremeyes Jewel was third.
The homebred, who is owned by Lawrence Litwin of Cote Saint-Luc, Quebec, improved her 2013 record to 4-1-5 from 17 trips postward. Her share of the loot lifted her lifetime earnings to $46,814.
Bad Girl Vegas turned a two-hole into a 35-1 upset in the second division for driver Jonathan Drury and trainer Louie Eftimiadis. The three-year-old daughter of Believeinbruiser-Vegas Trip tracked D Gs Pesquero through panels of :29.2, :59.3 and 1:28.2 before tipping out of the garden spot and using a :28.2 closing quarter to win by 1-1/4 lengths over the tempo-setter in 1:57.1. Third prize went to Dance Hall Girl.
Randy Zhok of Dover Centre, Ontario owns the six-time winner, who now boasts a 3-1-1 record from 20 trips to the track this season. She’s stashed away more than $48,000 to date.
The second $15,000 leg will go postward on Thursday, December 19, with the $30,000 (added) final taking place on the December 26th matinee.
To view results for Tuesday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Thursday Results – Woodbine Racetrack.