Recent Apaches Fame Series winner Lil Bit Lil Bit extended his win streak to four with a narrow decision in one of two $25,000 splits in the first leg of the Youthful Pacing Series for three-year-old colts and geldings on Friday night at Woodbine Racetrack
. Legal Justice posted a huge upset victory in the other division.
In the opening contest, Lil Bit Lil Bit and Luc Ouellette watched Top Gear (Sylvain Filion) and Totally Empressive (Keith Oliver) exchange leads through a first half of :56.3 before making his move to the outside in the third quarter.
The son of Rambaran - Little Bit Famous headed Totally Empressive at the third marker in 1:24.3 and then kicked clear as the field turned for home. Top Gear found clearance late and made it very close at the finish, falling just a nose back of the winner. Lake Shark (Mark MacDonald) rounded out the top three.
It was the sixth win overall this season in nine starts for Lil Bit Lil Bit, who is trained by Andrew Deleersnyder for owner Steven Deleersnyder of Windsor, Ont., and improved his career bankroll to just over $97,000. The colt returned $14.80 for the win.
Legal Justice lit up the tote board in the second division for driver Sylvain Filion when he swept past rivals late in the mile for a 45-1 upset in 1:54.2. The gelded son of Western Hanover - Catch A Wish got the better of Vroom Hanover (Mark MacDonald) and Engineered Right (Randy Waples) in notching his second win of the campaign in five trips postward.
Eric Adams trains the colt for the Millar Farms of Newmarket, Ont. He kicked back a whopping $91.90 while triggering a triactor worth $4,236.70.
The Youthful Pacing Series will continue with second round action next Friday night at Woodbine.
In the $44,000 Fillies & Mares Open Pace, Voelz Hanover turned in a 1:51.3 winning effort for team Baillargeon.
Fan favourite Four Starzz Meliss (Jason Brewer) posted the opening panels of :26.4 and :56 before driver Mario Baillargeon sent Voelz Hanover to the top from fourth. The five-year-old daughter of Astreos - Vassar Hanover, trained by Ben Baillargeon, extended her lead by the 1:23 third quarter mark and was an easy winner in a season's-best 1:51.3. Four Starzz Meliss finished two and a quarter lengths behind with Windsong Filou (Randy Waples) rounding out the top three.
Voelz Hanover returned $8.80 to win as the 3-1 third choice. Richard Berthiaume of Pointe-Aux-Trembles, Que. owns the winner of three races in nine starts this year and $66,280.
Live racing at Woodbine resumes Saturday night with first post at 7:30 p.m. The main event will be a single $50,000 division in the opening leg of the Spring Pacing Championship for aged pacers.
To view Friday's results, click here.
(With files from WEG)