Round two of the Don Mills Series had a little bit of everything on Thursday at Woodbine Racetrack including a repeat winner and a pair up double digits upsets
.
Run And Tell Pap extended his winning streak to three-in-a-row thanks to his 1:55.2 triumph in the opening division for the duo of driver Jody Jamieson and trainer Meg Crone. The five-year-old son of High Falls-Adeles Jade marched right to command from Post 9 and successfully sliced out splits of :28.4, :58.3 and 1:27.1 before using a :28.1 closing quarter to seal the deal. The favourite defeated Charlie Is A Joker and Slip Into Glide.
Jerry and Theresa Silva of Long Beach, NY share ownership on the gelding with Patrick Graham of Pittsfield, IL, and together the ownership group has watched the trotter bank $209,930 to date.
Texas Ridge rallied from out of the clouds to take the second division, and it turned out to be a wicked pari-mutuel windfall for his backers. Mr Joe Sixpack sprinted to the lead and hammered out the opening quarter in :27.2 before giving up command to Bullet shortly past the mid-way point in :57.4. Race favourite Jessesjo was tracking Bullet, and in a matter of strides he muscled his way to the top. The public’s top choice opened up a big lead in the lane, but he was hauled down late by Texas Ridge, who erupted for the 80-1 shocker over P L Daley and Kinda Kool.
Rich Gillock trains the five-year-old son of Tom Ridge-Texas Winner, who races under lease to Bob Key of Leechburg, PA. The seven-time winner, who is now 2-for-6 this year, topped $100,000 in lifetime earnings with the victory.
Dukester clicked at odds of 19-1 in the final $35,000 division for the team of driver Chris Christoforou and trainer Ken Switzer. The five-year-old son of Duke Of York-Sputters got away and sixth while Hidden Identity and Bookem battled to the quarter pole in :28.3. Bookem cleared before doing battle with race favourite Here Comes Numbers to the half in a :57-second clip. They continued to wage war to the three-quarter pole in 1:25.4 before Here Comes Numbers cleared to the top. Dukester, who was seventh at the three-quarter pole, unleashed a :29.2 final frame to surge to the lead in the closing strides, and he prevailed by three-quarters of a length over Here Comes Numbers in 1:56.2. Classic Viking took home the show dough.
Don Culham of Cambridge, ON holds the ownership papers on the gelding, who improved this year’s record to 2-0-2 in five tries with the winning effort. The six-time winner has banked $67,325 to date.
The $75,000 final of the Don Mills Series is set for Monday, February 27 at Woodbine Racetrack.
To view results for Thursday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Thursday Results – Woodbine Racetrack.