The popular contenders in all three $20,000 WEGZ Stakes eliminations turned in top performances on Saturday night at Woodbine Racetrack
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The top three finishers from each elimination plus one fourth-place finisher will advance to the final of the re-branded WEGZ Stakes, formally called the Ontario Boys Pacing Series, for older male pacers.
Mcapulco kicked off the Saturday night program with a wire-to-wire victory in the first elimination.
Driver Mario Baillargeon sent the six-year-old son of Mcardle-Smooth Latin N to the lead from Post 6 and carved out fractions of :26.4, :55.4 and 1:22.4 while extending his lead to eight lengths. Strand Hanover (Simon Allard) came charging first over around the final turn but ran out of racetrack as Mcapulco reached the wire in 1:51.2 with a half-length to spare. Automatic Slims (Jack Moiseyev) was third.
Mcapulco paid $4.40 to win, delivering on his 6-5 pari-mutuel promise. The David Menary trainee has won half of his four starts this year while earning $18,700 for Burke Racing Stable LLC of Fredericktown and Weaver Bruscemi LLC of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. He boasts 16 wins on his lifetime record and earnings totaling $213,931.
Driven by Jody Jamieson, Aled Hanover was successful in chasing down pacesetter Daddy Mac (Keith Oliver) to score by half a length in the next elimination.
The four-year-old son of Western Hanover-Arts Masterpiece sat fourth while Daddy Mac showed the way past stations of :28.2, :57.1 and 1:25.1. Aled Hanover used a :27-second final frame to wear down the leader and notch his second consecutive win in 1:52.4. Brave Alex Semalu (Simon Allard) finished two and three-quarter lengths back in third. Digam (Randy Waples) finished fourth and drew into the final.
Also sent postward as the bettor's choice, at odds of 7-5, Aled Hanover paid $4.80 to win. Tony O'Sullivan trains the winner of two races in five starts this year and $23,400 for owner John Fielding of Toronto, Ont. Now an eight-time career winner, Aled Hanover has earned more than $100,000 in purses.
Vertical Horizon also got up for a close victory in his elimination giving Jamieson a stakes double.
Royal Becquet (Simon Allard) worked his way to the lead from Post 8, reaching the first quarter in :27.1 before Foolish Justice (Randy Waples) made a backstretch brush from third and took over. As he approached the half in :56.2, Vertical Horizon launched a first over attack from fifth. The 2-5 favourite reached the leader's flank by the 1:25 third quarter station and began to edge away mid-way down the stretch to score a one-length victory in 1:52.4 (last quarter clocked in :27.1). Royal Becquet shot in between the two to finish second, forcing Foolish Justice to settle for third.
Vertical Horizon paid $2.90 to win. The five-year-old son of Western Ideal-Summer Mystery earned his second win of the season in six starts and pushed his earnings to $33,370 for trainer Nicholas Surick and the KDM Stables Corp. of Farmingdale, New York. Vertical Horizon notched his 11th career win and boosted his overall bankroll to $690,889.
Here is a look at the field for next week's $60,000 final:
1. Digam
2. Vertical Horizon
3. Aled Hanover
4. Mcapulco
5. Daddy Mac
6. Automatic Slims
7. Brave Alex Semalu
8. Foolish Justice
9. Royal Becquet
10. Strand Hanover
To view Saturday's results, click here.