Pylon-starter Refi circled to the lead and held onto command to the finish of a 1:56.2 mile, winning the $11,500 Preferred 2 Handicap Trot at Flamboro Downs on Tuesday (Dec. 8).
Bastiano led the field by the quarter in :28.2 before driver Nick Steward vacated the pocket with Refi and took control approaching a :58 half. In Secret then tipped first over from fourth and advanced towards the new leader, ranging up to Refi’s wheel passing three-quarters in 1:27.1. Around the final turn In Secret remained at Refi’s side and inched closer to the front when straightening for the finish, but Refi maintained a half-length advantage to the finish to score. Yes rallied from second over for third while Power And Grace, the 7-5 favourite, took fourth.
Co-owned by trainer Benoit Baillargeon with Santo and Nunzio Vena and Claude Hamel, Refi won his sixth race from 24 starts this season and his 14th from 44 overall, earning $173,095. The four-year-old Chapter Seven stallion paid $9.60 to win.
Veyron landed a wire-to-wire victory in the co-featured $8,500 Preferred 3 Trot. The seven-year-old Muscles Yankee gelding cleared command from Majestic Brayden by a :28 opening quarter and faced little challenge from there. By the half in :58.2 and unchallenged to three-quarters in 1:27.4, Veryon coasted to the finish one-and-three-quarter lengths better than Majestic Brayden in a 1:57.1 mile. Favourite Sicario, pulling first over into the final turn, gave pursuit from third another five lengths behind.
Owned by TJS Stable, Veyron won his sixth race from 31 starts this season and his 14th from 91 overall, earning $182,538. J Harris drove the $5.30 winner for trainer Paul Cameron.
To view Tuesday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Tuesday Results - Flamboro Downs.