Curator has fashioned a solid image for himself, which makes him a top contender in the $60,000 Valedictory Stakes final on Monday’s afternoon Boxing Day card at Woodbine Racetrack
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The gelded son of American Ideal--Gallery Hop, who was unraced as a two-year-old, has banked $61,500 and has never missed the board in his sophomore campaign. The pacer has put together a record of 7-1-1 from nine starts for trainer/owner Jack Darling and will once again have up-and-coming driver Billy Davis, Jr. in the sulky.
Davis is thrilled about being in the final, but has admitted that he is a little nervous as well. He is hoping his charge will be back to his normal self after failing to find the winner’s circle in his elimination.
“He was pretty disappointing last week,” the 25-year-old said about Curator’s third-place finish. “Usually he is strong right to the wire and halfway down the lane he kind of got on the right line a bit and really gave up. That’s the first time he has ever done that.
“I am kind of excited to see how he is going to be this week and I am a little nervous if he is going to be back to his ‘A’ form again,” Davis explained.
High speed and quick acceleration are characteristics that many drivers and trainers hope for in a horse. Curator has both, but Davis, a native of BC, admitted that they are his best and worst qualities.
“As soon as you ask him he gives it all, but that’s one of his downsides, too,” Davis said. “As soon as you get him going you can’t shut him down, so if you try to leave too much with him he just keeps on going.”
The resident of Cambridge, Ont. will be looking to keep the gelding off the front end while trying to work out a tidy trip from Post 6.
The reinsman has proven he knows what he is doing when he is handed the lines. He has had a banner year with over $2.5 million in purse earnings and over 370 victories, including 17 wins, 21 seconds and 29 third-place finishes in 213 starts on the Woodbine Entertainment Group. He hopes his success continues, but confesses he never expected it would happen so soon.
“It’s been very exciting,” Davis said, searching for how to best describe his fifth year of driving. “It’s just all surreal. It’s unbelievable. It’s almost like a dream. I moved out here from BC and I wanted to be a catch driver. I never really thought it would be going as well as it has been, so far.”
The holiday card will also feature the $60,000 Niagara Stakes final for sophomore pacing fillies and will have a special guest race caller for the matinee card, as Dawn Lupul will take over the announcer's booth at the Rexdale, Ont. oval for the first time.
First-race post time is set for 1:20 p.m.
To view the harness racing entries for Monday at Woodbine, click the following link: Monday Entries - Woodbine Racetrack.
(WEG)