Ramegade Bruiser completed a sweep of this year’s Spring Pacing Championship with another rock-solid front-end effort in Saturday’s $87,100 Final at Woodbine Racetrack
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There were no anxious moments for the six-year-old gelded son of Rambaran - Love You Dear as driver Chris Christoforou simply waited for things to settle in the opening eighth before making his move to command just before the first quarter of :26.2.
It was 2007 champion, Stormaway (Dan Megens), who made the first-over sacrifice and applied strong pressure through a half in :55.3 and three-quarters in 1:22.4 with Clowns Smile (Mark MacDonald) looming large in the pocket position.
However, Ramegade Bruiser would not let Stormaway past his saddle pad in the homestretch and he eventually re-widened his advantage to 1-1/4 lengths at the finish. Mr Saratoga (Sylnain Filion), who sat inside fourth throughout the mile, rallied late to just nip Stormaway for the runner-up spot.
The victory was the eighth this season in 10 outings and 39th lifetime for Ramegade Bruiser who is owned and trained by Dave Brown of Cannington, Ont. With the win, Ramegade Bruiser goes over $860,000 in career earnings.
In the evening's $40,000 Preferred Pace, Bolero Charles began a winning streak of his own after wiring the field of six in rein to Jody Jamieson.
Jamieson put the seven-year-old son of Jennas Beach Boy on the front from Post 5 and he led the way to he first quarter in :26.4 and the half in :55.3. Our Lucky Killean angled out of the fifth position and driver Randy Waples stepped on the accelerator heading to three-quarters in 1:23.3, but Bolero Charles was much the best winning in 1:51.2 by two and a half lengths.
Our Lucky Killean was the runner-up while Balanchine with Mark MacDonald finished third off a pocket trip.
Bolero Charles, who hangs his harness in the Steve Charlton barn, scored his second consecutive win at the Preferred level. His fourth win of the year lifted his seasonal bankroll to $71,770 for the Larocque Racing Stable of Thornhill, Ont. A winner of 20 races in his career, Bolero Charles has raked in over $265,000 for his connections.
After finishing second to Real Celebration in the past two Open events for four-year-olds, the Cam Fella Pacing Series winner, Anderlecht, flew home to win in tonight’s $35,000 event in 1:50.3.
Final Curtain (Jamieson) led the way through fast fractions of :25.4, :53.1 and 1:21.2 as My Masterpiece (Mike Saftic) remained parked out in second battling for the top spot. As Final Curtain turned for home, Anderlecht, driven by Phil Hudon, was gearing up in the backfield and he sprinted home in 28-seconds beating out his 10 rivals for the win by a length and a quarter.
Final Curtain stayed for second and My Masterpiece finished bravely in third.
The four-year-old son of Cams Card Shark notched his third win of '09 bringing his yearly earnings to $109,000. The Igor Vrablic pupil, who is owned by the Black Road Stable of Kitchener and Point Zero Seven Racing of Burlington, Ont., has won nine times in his career good for $222,335.
To view Saturday's results, click here.
(With files from WEG)
Larry Resnitzky
Larry Resnitzky
Congratulations to Ramegade Bruiser and his racing connections. The unseen hand behind his success might be that of Tony Kerwood. Kerwood raced his dad Rambaran for almost a decade and treated him really well while racing him smartly.
One of the reasons Rambaran's progeny have a decent chance is because no million dollar winning horse like Rambaran could help produce winning offspring if they were mishandled by their drivers and trainers over a racing career of close to a decade.
The late Joe O'Brien always felt that horses that were treated with respect by their drivers and trainers made for better sires and broodmares if called upon.