Sophomore pacing colts and geldings were out in full force and doing battle at Woodbine Racetrack on Monday evening in a set of $20,000 eliminations for this year’s Apaches Fame Stakes
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Calgary Seelster, who was sent off as the second choice in the wagering, upended the 4-5 favourite, The Platinum Guy, in the first elimination.
Phil Hudon rolled the son of Modern Art-Cmon Mama Cass to immediate command while The Platinum Guy ducked into the pocket spot. They held those positions through fractions of :27.3, :56.3 and 1:25.4 before The Platinum Guy went into attack mode. He tipped out of the pocket, but proved to be no match for Calgary Seelster who used a :27.1 final frame to seal the deal in a career-best clocking of 1:53. The Platinum Guy was a best-of-the-rest runner-up, with Playin Time finishing a distant third.
Murray Preszcator owns and trains the colt, who extended his winning streak to three-in-a-row. He has put together a 3-1-0 record in his first five tries, and the lion’s share of Monday’s purse bumped his bankroll to $32,780.
Live And Learn, who was the public's second choice in the wagering, fended off a pair of late challenges to take the second elimination in a career-best clocking of 1:55.3.
Emerson Seelster was sent to the early lead, and he had the field lined up behind at the quarter pole in :27.4. The pace slowed noticeably up the backstretch, and that prompted Randy Waples to vacate the garden spot with Live And Learn. They took over command from Emerson Seelster at the mid-way point in :58.3 and proceeded to roll the field to the three-quarter pole in 1:27.3. Waples called on his charge for all he had in deep stretch, and the colt responded by kicking out a :28-second final frame en route to posting the narrow decision over race favourite Stonebridge Bonus and a hard-closing Carsons Payback.
The homebred son of Life Sign-Teenager Girls races for owner/breeder Gaetan Hebert of Waterdown, ON. Hebert watched the younger brother to 2005 O’Brien Award winner Lady Dillinger (1:52 - $1,078,345) improve his 2011 record to 2-1-1 in five starts while pushing his lifetime earnings to $28,054.
The top five finishers from Monday’s eliminations will go postward in the final next Monday evening at Woodbine Racetrack. Here’s how they’ll line up on the starting gate:
$60,000 Apaches Fame Stakes
1. The Platinum Guy
2. Carsons Payback
3. Live And Learn
4. Calgary Seelster
5. Playin Time
6. Rileys Luck
7. Distant Cam
8. Emerson Seelster
9. Wazzup Wazzup
10. Stonebridge Bonus
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, please click the following link: Monday Results – Woodbine Racetrack.