Mr Coolie converted from a pocket trip while Beautiful Soul scored a dramatic come-from-behind victory in Saturday’s first leg of the Ontario Boys Pacing Series for four-year-olds at Woodbine Racetrack
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Beautiful Soul was heavily favoured in the opening $20,000 split but got off to a slow start from the outside Post 9 and trailed the field for much of the mile. As the field turned for home, it was 50-l longshot Call Tag (Phil Hudon) loose on the lead with Beautiful Soul still sitting seventh along the inside and almost seven lengths from the front.
Driver Paul MacDonell finally found clearance for the son of Northern Luck - Andoullie and he fired home with a :28.2 final quarter to salvage the win in 1:54.1 by a length over Call Tag with Seeyanthefunnys (Mike Saftic) garnering the show spot. The winner returned a popular $3.30.
It was the first win in three outings this season for the Kevin Benn trainee, who is owned by Mark Powell of Belleville, Ont. The winner’s share of the purse sent his career earnings to just over $58,000.
In the second division, Mr Coolie left sharply to grab the early lead for driver Doug McNair before yielding to favourite Justalittleluck (Jody Jamieson) in the second quarter. The son of No Pan Intended - Armbro Vertical followed the pacesetter the rest of the way before tipping out in mid-stretch to score in a career-best 1:54.2 clocking by three-quarters of a length over Justalittleluck with Lakers Vett (Mark MacDonald) landing the show spot.
It was the first victory since 2008 for Mr Coolie, who is co-owned by trainer Gregg McNair along with Ian Fleming of Londesborough, Ont. He kicked back $11.60 while increasing his lifetime earnings to just over $67,000.
The second leg of the Ontario Boys Pacing Series will go postward next Saturday night at Woodbine.
Later on the card, Hyperion Hanover inched closer to the million-dollar mark in career earnings with a wire-to-wire score in the $50,000 Open Pace.
Hyperion Hanover, with Jody Jamieson in the bike, sprinted off the gate from Post 6 and settled in front of Keystone Horatio (Randy Waples) before the first turn. The seven-year-old son of Camluck - Hattie controlled the pace through stations of :27.3, :57 and 1:24.1, and held off the pocket-sitter, who finished a neck behind after squeezing up the rail. Hyperion Hanover stopped the clock in 1:51.4 for his first win in five outings this year. Arts Ragin Jet (Keith Oliver) finished third.
Trained by Rob Fellows for S S G Stables of North Boston, New York, Hyperion Hanover pushed his lifetime earnings to $931,343 with his 28th triumph.
He paid $12.80 to win as the 5-1 fourth choice.
To view Saturday's results, click here.
(With files from WEG)