Monday night's card at Woodbine Racetrack saw the return of a millionaire trotter as well as the jaw-dropping performance of a six-year-old pacer.
In the evening's sixth race, pacing gelding Highpoint Chip absolutely demolished a group of $10,000 claimers for driver Doug McNair, trainer Carmen Auciello and breeder/owner Kirk Jessop. After winning just four days ago against conditioned foes in a lifetime best 1:53, Highpoint Chip was a near nine-length victor in a sizzling 1:50.3 -- just a few ticks shy of the fastest mile in Canada (1:50.1) this year.
Highpoint Chip (Santanna Blue Chip - Highpoint Gal) now boasts a 2-2-1 summary in five seasonal starts and earnings totalling $15,710. He's already surpassed his earnings from 35 starts ($7,357) in 2016.
The start on Monday will be the last for Highpoint Chip's connections as he was claimed for $10,000 by Quebec's Anne-Marie Demers.
One race prior, two-time O'Brien Award winner Mister Herbie was making his first pari-mutuel start in nearly two and a half years in a conditioned trotting event. With Jody Jamieson at the controls, Mister Herbie closed with authority to finish a solid third to Catch The Dream. Now nine, Mister Herbie trotted his mile in 1:54.3.
Trained and co-owned by Jeff Gillis along with Mac Nichol and Gerald Stay, Mister Herbie (Here Comes Herbie - Independent Lassie) has banked more than $1.8 million over his career, which was put on hold while he recovered from a hind suspensory issue.
Streaking trotter Sergeant Seelster also warranted some ink after his victory on Monday night. The five-year-old gelded son of Holiday Road - Self Desire has been on fire since last November, winning nine of his last 10 starts. With Scott Wray in the sulky for his father, trainer/owner Jack Wray, Sergeant Seelster held on to win his up-in-class test with a lifetime best 1:55.1 mile.
With no one taking down the Jackpot Hi-5 in the Monday night finale, the carryover going into Thursday's card exceeds $360,000.
To view the results from Monday's card, click the following link: Monday Results - Woodbine Racetrack.