Trainer Dave Menary earned his 1,000th career victory when Bettorseetheshow prevailed in an Ontario Sired Spring Series photo finish on Friday, April 11 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Bettorseetheshow provided Menary with the milestone moment in the opening leg of the series for Ontario-sired three-year-old colts and geldings that were non-winners of $30,000 in 2024.
One of two Menary trainees in the $18,000 pacing division, Bettorseetheshow and four-time Friday winner Doug McNair got the first call from post four with Time Passer, driven by James MacDonald, firing from the outside to race in tandem with his barn buddy into the first turn before clearing at the quarter pole in :28.2. They remained 1-2 through a half in :58.1 and three-quarters in 1:26.3 with even-money favourite Mood Control and J.R. Plante advancing from the backfield to reel in the stablemates and taking aim off the final turn. As they hit three-quarters and swung into the stretch, Betterseetheshow popped the pocket on Time Passer with Mood Control making steady gains to his outside for a three-across finish. In the end, Betterseetheshow prevailed between foes by a head in a career-best 1:53.3 for an 11-1 upset. Mood Control nabbed the runner-up honours over Time Passer.
Unraced as a two-year-old, Bettorseetheshow (Bettors Delight-Beach Showoff) has now won three of his eight starts for owner/breeder Farhi Standardbreds Corp. of London, Ont.
Menary, who earned his first career training triumph in 1999, reached the 1,000-win milestone less than a week before his 46th birthday. Lifetime, he's sent out 5,300 starters and earned $26.9 million.
The Cambridge, Ont. conditioner was an O'Brien Award runner-up for Trainer of the Year in 2024 after one of his best season's to date when his stable amassed $2.7 million in purses. His momentum has continued into 2025 with his trainees winning 32 races from 85 starts for a nation-leading 0.511 UTRS.
Dave Menary (second from left) with Bettorseetheshow in the winner's circle after his 1,000th career training win.
The first round of the Ontario Sired Spring Series for male trotters was split into two $18,000 races, which were won by P L Spencer and Fast Snap.
P L Spencer delivered a wire-to-wire victory as the 1-2 favourite in rein to James MacDonald, holding off the hard-closing Modelo Gold (Dagfin Henriksen) by half a length at the end of the 1:58.1 mile in his season's debut. Ramiro (Doug McNair) followed in third off a pocket trip. Stephen Bossence trains and co-owns the Resolve-P L Indyanaca gelding, who is now two-for-five lifetime, with Richard Thompson of London, Ont., Derek Reid of Etobicoke, Ont., and Michigan's E C S Racing.
Fast Snap pulled off a 15-1 upset in the second trotting division as trainer/driver Paul Davies put the two-time starter on the point and held off the favoured pocket-pursuer, Flanagan Sunshine (James MacDonald), for the 1:58.1 maiden-breaking win. Manforce (Jody Jamieson) rounded out the top three. Davies and his wife Nikki share ownership of the victorious Archangel-Candidcamerakosmos gelding.
The Ontario Sired Spring Series, which began with the filly divisions on Thursday night, continues next week. The second leg for the filly divisions will be contested on Thursday, April 17 with the colt and gelding divisions going on Friday, April 18. All four $40,000 (added) divisional finals are scheduled for Saturday, April 26.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada)