Champagne Phil had a flair for the dramatics Tuesday evening at The Raceway at Western Fair District, thanks to his last-to-first score in the $11,000 Preferred 2 Pace for horses and geldings.
With Bob McClure at the controls, Champagne Phil got away eighth from his Post 7 perch before advancing to seventh at the mid-way point of the mile. Kendal Gustav sliced out first-half splits of :27 and :56.1 before giving up the top spot to Cluster Hanover at the three-quarter pole in 1:25.2.
Champagne Phil, in the meantime, was rolled out wide by McClure who started to pick off pacers one by one. Cluster Hanover opened up a comfortable-looking lead at the head of the lane, but Champagne Phil unleashed a :28.2 closing quarter to propel himself to the one-length triumph over Cluster Hanover in 1:54.2. Button Up tagged along to finish third in the featured tilt.
Sent off as the 5-2 favourite, the five-year-old son of Shanghai Phil-Champagne Gal won for the third time this season and for the 16th time in his career. The Dean Nixon trainee has racked up more than $34,000 in earnings this year, and that brings his lifetime total to $232,003 for ICR Racing of Pefferlaw, Ontario.
The $7,500 Preferred 3 Pace for horses and geldings went to Brocks Fortune in gate-to-wire fashion.
Trevor Henry planted the John Cecchin trainee on the lead and never looked back through panels of :28, :58.4 and 1:27.2. A :29-second closing quarter earned him the win by three-quarters of a length over race favourite Sky Desperado in 1:56.2. American Terror was third.
The five-year-old son of Stonebridge Regal-Fannies Fortune, who is owned by Mark Austin Stables Inc, Noblock Racing Stable and Robert Chapple, broke into the win column for the first time this season. The 13-time winner has a career cash stash of $273,557.
To view results for Tuesday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Tuesday Results – The Raceway at Western Fair District.