Sophomore pacer Itrustyou drew away from a persistent Curator in the stretch to notch his seventh straight victory in the co-featured $60,000 Valedictory Stakes contested during the Monday afternoon Boxing Day card at Woodbine Racetrack
. The Valedictory is for three-year-old male pacers who are non-winners of $50,000 lifetime as of Oct. 31, 2011.
When the wings of the starting gate folded, elimination winner Itrustyou, driven by Brett Miller, and Curator (Billy Davis Jr.) jockeyed for early position on top of the 10-horse field and locked in a heated battle for the stakes trophy.
Thebestofjoel (Keith Oliver) left alertly from the middle of the track to take the early lead ahead of inside starter Weigh The Odds (Chris Christoforou) while Post 2 starter Itrustyou got away third and Curator found himself parked out after leaving from the six-hole.
Curator set his sights on the lead, but Itrustyou made an early move angling off the pylons forcing him three-wide as they raced to the first quarter in :26.2. Itrustyou forged ahead between horses and took over the lead down the backstretch, hitting the half in :54.4 with Curator looming to his outside.
Itrustyou and Curator battled on top to three-quarters in 1:23.2 with the other elimination winner, Audreys Dream (Jody Jamieson), positioned second over.
As the field spun into the stretch, Itrustyou began to pull away and opened up three lengths on his foes to secure the victory before tripping the teletimer in 1:51.1. Audreys Dream rallied off cover to edge out Curator for second-place honours.
“I didn’t want to be first-up against Curator. I know that horse is really good on the front so I decided to beat him to the lead," said Miller of his early move. “He was pacing all on his own [in the stretch] and I knew I had lots of horse left. It’s a great feeling to get the job done here today.”
The victorious son of Third Straight out of Dynamic Lady is trained by David Menary for Pennsylvania owner Burke Racing Stable LLC, who purchased the gelding just before his win streak began in late October. The lion's share of the purse pushed Itrustyou's seasonal earnings past the $100,000 mark while his lifetime bankroll climbed to $141,875.
Itrustyou paid $5.90 to win as the 9-5 second choice.
Miller also worked out the winning trip for the $20,000 Valedictory Consolation winner, 5-2 second choice Cobalt Man. The Rocknroll Hanover-Lady Indigo gelding sat third for most of the mile before slipping up the pylons to win in a career-best 1:52.2 for trainer Jason Robinson and Pennsylvania owner Robert Main. Unraced as a two-year-old, he recorded his sixth win in 32 starts while pushing his earnings to over $60,000.
Later on the card, Niagara Stakes elimination winner Windsun Soho rallied home from off the pace to capture the $60,000 final of the companion event. The Niagara Stakes is for three-year-old filly pacers who are non-winners of $50,000 lifetime as of Oct. 31, 2011.
The popular Windsun Soho and driver Phil Hudon got away near the back of the pack in seventh from Post 4 while D Gs Tinkerbell (Luc Ouellette) fired off the gate from the seven spot to take the early lead. However, insider Seascape Hanover (Mario Baillargeon) pushed ahead at the pylons as they raced to the :26.2 opening quarter mark.
D Gs Tinkerbell took back into second as the fillies straightened up down the backstretch, leaving Seascape Hanover to cut the second panel in :54.2.
As the field raced towards the 1:23.4 third quarter mark, Windsun Soho launched her attack and picked up cover when another elimination winner, Markella (Chris Christoforou), moved off the pylons from fourth.
Markella progressed around the final turn and picked off the leader at the top of the stretch, but Windsun Soho swept past her as they approached the wire and held off the pylon-skimming D Gs Tinkerbell to win by three-quarters of a length in a new mark of 1:53.1. Tu Sei Bella (Brett Miller) rallied home from the backfield to show.
“She’s wicked fast for a piece of a mile,” commented Hudon after the victory. “She usually races from off the pace because she likes to track horses down and today was no different. I was pretty confident in her at the top of the stretch, but you never know. The :54.2 half was certainly in our favour.”
Windsun Soho is owned and bred by trainer Murray Brethour of Sunderland, Ont. and Windsun Farm Inc. of Uxbridge, Ont. After going winless in two starts as a freshman, the Cams Card Shark-Armbro Magnify miss has recorded seven wins in 15 sophomore starts to lift her lifetime earnings over the $100,000 mark.
Windsun Soho paid $4.90 to win as the 7-5 favourite.
Hudon also won the $20,000 Niagara Consolation with Reve Avec Moi Dreamwithme's Lady Luna. The homebred Yankee Cam-Lady Of Art filly converted from the pocket to pull off a 22-1 upset in a career-best 1:54.4 for trainer Robert MacKenzie Jr. Lady Luna earned her fifth win in 20 starts during her debut year and lifted her earnings to nearly $40,000.
To view Monday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Monday Results - Woodbine Racetrack.
(With quotes from WEG)