Millionaire pacer Dali turned in his second winning effort of the year for driver Luc Ouellette and trainer Rene Allard in Saturday’s featured $50,000 Open at Woodbine Racetrack
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Kindly Poet (Sylvain Filion) set out for the early lead from Post 4 in the five-horse affair, but Hyperion Hanover claimed the top spot with the inside advantage and hit the first quarter mark in :27.1.
With Kindly Poet settled into the pocket, 8-5 favourite Keystone Horatio (Randy Waples) made his move from third and cleared the front as the half flashed up in :55.2.
Keystone Horatio remained in control past three-quarters in 1:24.2, but couldn’t hold off the late closers. Dali closed well from first over while Hyperson Hanover (Jody Jamieson) slipped out of the pocket for a stretch duel. It was Dali who hit the wire first for the 1:51.4 victory by a neck holding off a powerful late push from Stonebridge On Ice (Mike Saftic), who rallied from last. Hyperion Hanover rounded out the top three.
Dali paid $6.00 to win as the 2-1 second choice.
Dali, a five-year-old son of Real Artist-Armbro Tea, has yet to finish off the board in four starts this season for Uncirculated Stable of Brantford, Ont., Vip Internet Stable LLC of Piscataway, New Jersey and JL Benson Stables Inc. of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. His 2010 earnings climbed to $62,000 thanks to his win tonight.
To view Saturday's results, click here