Laser and Buzz Lightyear, both dropping back down in class out of the same race, added to solid recent records as the stallions took their respective $8,500 optional-claiming features on Wednesday, March 11 at The Raceway at the Western Fair District.
In the first event, Brady Galliers gave Laser marching orders from post seven and landed the pocket behind Axel Bovino (Lorne House) on the first turn. That one was in firm control through the first panels of :28.2 and :58.2 but was put to a drive down the backstretch as Belmont Blazer (Travis Cullen) came marching first-up, and the 1-5 favourite overhauled the pacesetter at three-quarters in 1:28.4.
Galliers removed Laser from the pylons just in time to avoid being boxed in behind the tiring early leader, and the five-year-old advanced behind the now-uncovered Dj Mustang (Garrett Rooney) on the final turn before shifting wide at the head of the lane. In a three-horse showdown, Laser had the most late pace and got up on the outside to win by a neck over Belmont Blazer in 2:00.4 over a surface labelled good. Dj Mustang was a close third.
After three winless starts to begin the year, Laser has won three of his last four outings for trainer Cassidy Schneider and owner Colonel Schneider Jr. of Arthur, Ont. He was second last time in an upper-level conditioned pace on March 3 before getting back in the win column on Wednesday. The five-year-old Lather Up-Good Things Happen stallion scored his sixth career win in 36 appearances and increased his earnings to $34,103. He paid $17.70 to win.
Buzz Lightyear went coast-to-coast in the second co-feature. He protected inside positioning and rattled off opening splits of :30.1 and 1:00.4, then raced with the first-up Evil Lou (Samuel Fillion) to his outside through three-quarters in 1:30.2. Evil Lou pursued the leader into the lane and was joined late by Gascoigne A C (Austin Sorrie) on the outside and Connor B (Paul MacKenzie) at the rail, but Buzz Lightyear held on to prevail by a quarter-length in 2:00.2. Evil Lou was second, and Gascoigne A C reached up for third.
Buzz Lightyear, sixth last time in the same race as Laser, is now five-for-seven this year. The four-year-old son of Sunfire Blue Chip-Cant Stop won for the 10th time in 23 career outings, and he has raked in $43,319 for trainer Tom Hamm of Strathroy, Ont., who co-owns the stallion with breeder Bill Hamm of West Lorne, Ont. The win price was $5.80.
To view Wednesday's harness racing results, click the following link: Wednesday Results - Western Fair Raceway.
(Standardbred Canada)