After earning top three finishes in the opening round of the Born To Trot Series last week, Northern Triumph and Acuity upped their game to take top honours during the second leg featured on a foggy Saturday night at Kawartha
Downs.
With first leg winner Betweentwopillows opting to compete in the Raindrop Series (and win) Friday at Rideau Carleton Raceway instead and fellow round one champion R Raised Emotions sitting out, Northern Triumph and Acuity were among the top picks by the betting public.
In the first $7,500 division, even-money favourite Northern Triumph and Stephen Byron romped to a seven and a half length victory 2:00.4 victory for owner Parkhill Stud Farm of Peterborough, Ont. Hes Golden (Steve Skilton) and Northern Wyn (John Thomson) rounded out the top three finishers. John Bax trains the sophomore Striking Sahbra-Goodtimesstarthere gelding, who paid $4.10 to win for the first time in 12 outings.
Acuity took the lead in the stretch and managed to hold off D M Deception (James MacDonald) by half a length for a 2:03 score in the second split for driver Willis Jones, who co-owns with trainer Keith Jones. Mac Tana (Aaron Byron) finished nearly two lengths back in third. Acuity paid $12.80 to win as the 5-1 third choice. The Ken Warkentin-Itsnowonder gelding, who also competed in last year's Born To Trot Series, notched his second win in 58 starts.
The Born To Trot Series, which is for non-winners of one race as of Feb. 24, will wrap up next Saturday, March 24 with a $20,000 (added) final.
With brother Cody Henry taking the reins for regular driver and co-owner Travis Henry, 10-year-old pacing mare Linatawa N advanced to the lead and kicked away to score her sixth straight win in regular racing action later on the card. Isaac Waxman trains and co-owns the daughter of Holmes Hanover, who defeated fellow $5,000 claiming pacers Digit (Richard Webb) and Dont Missthat Grin (Jonathan Drury) by four lengths in 1:56.1. Linatawa N has carried her win streak across four different racetracks including Kawartha, Flamboro Downs, The Raceway at Western Fair District, and Windsor Raceway.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Kawartha Downs.