Yes ground first over and kept 6-5 favourite In Secret at bay to win the $11,500 Preferred 2 Handicap Trot at Flamboro Downs on Tuesday (Dec. 15).
Bastiano pushed for the front from the pylon post while Power And Grace secured the pocket and Yes raced in third. Past the quarter in :27.3, Bastiano slowed the tempo, which prompted driver James MacDonald to move Yes off the pegs approaching a :58.1 half.
Yes ranged closer to Bastiano while In Secret—positioned third over—launched three wide nearing three-quarters in 1:27.2. Bastiano gave way to Yes rounding the final turn while In Secret continued to dig into the new leader as the field straightened for the finish. However Yes maintained the lead to the finish, keeping a neck up on In Secret in a 1:57.1 mile with Veyron closing for third.
A four-year-old gelding by Manofmanymissions, Yes won his second race from six starts this season and his 11th from 37 overall, earning $298,633 for owner Thestable Yes Group. Jason McGinnis trains the $6.50 winner.
Odds-on favourite Twin B Tipster tracked cover and launched to the front late to win the $10,500 Fillies & Mares Preferred 2 Pace.
Driver Travis Cullen landed Twin B Tipster in fifth to a :28.1 quarter set by pylon-starter Significance. Cullen then caught cover to a :58.1 half when Lively Rocket rolled first over from fourth and progressed towards the leader as the field marched to three-quarters in 1:27.1. Lively Rocket remained at Significance’s side to the top of the stretch but began to falter as Cullen fed Twin B Tipster racetrack. With a straight path to the finish, the four-year-old Bettors Delight mare charged to a neck victory over pocket-sitter YS Tallia in a 1:56.3 mile. Significance took third.
Owned by Travis Cullen, Twin B Tipster won her third race from 30 starts this season and her seventh from 58 overall, earning $142,341. Jodie Cullen conditions the $3.40 winner.
Halo Its Me motored to a wire-to-wire 1:59.2 victory earlier on the card in the $8,500 Preferred 3 Handicap Trot. The four-year-old Archangel mare cleared command to a :28.4 opening quarter and waded off the first-over challenge from Nothing But Muscle through middle fractions of 1:00.1 and 1:29.4. Into the stretch, Halo Its Me kept a length up on pocket-sitter Sicario in second while Nothing But Muscle settled for third.
Co-owned by trained Connie Chisholm with David Chisholm, Halo Its Me won her seventh race from 19 starts this season and her 11th from 37 overall, earning $104,995. James MacDonald drove the $4.20 winner.
To view Tuesday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Tuesday Results - Flamboro Downs.