The pocket-pulling Playin Time was a going away winner in the $60,000 Ontario Spring Open for three-year-olds at Woodbine Racetrack Friday night, upsetting the favourites, Bare Necessity and Drain Daddy, who finished second in a dead-heat
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Driver Chris Christoforou sent Playin Time to the top from Post 7 in the full field of 10. Playin Time laid down a :27-second opening quarter before the undefeated Bare Necessity (Sylvain Filion) pulled the pocket and took over down the backstretch.
Bare Necessity reached the half-mile mark in :55.3 and proceeded to three-quarters in 1:24.3 while Drain Daddy (Rick Zeron) launched a first over attack from fifth with Billy White Sell (Scott Zeron) following his cover and angling wide as they entered the stretch.
The outer flow, however, couldn’t quite keep up leaving a clear path for Playin Time to angle off the pylons. Full of late pace, Playin Time soared to a two and three-quarter length victory in 1:52.1, a new lifetime mark and two-fifths of a second off the stakes record. Following in second was Bare Necessity and Drain Daddy, who could not be separated at the wire. Billy White Sell finished five lengths behind.
Mark Brealey trains the gelded son of Mach Three-Then Again, who paid $20.90 to win. The two-time career winner, who finished second by a half-length in his elimination last week, has earned the majority of his $65,925 bankroll this year for Ontario owners Rodney McGrath, Wallace Gemmill and Gordon Waples, and Donald Watkins of Nova Scotia.
Just like last week in the $32,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred Pace, Marietta Hall (Keith Oliver) beat inside starter Warrawee Koine off the gate, reaching the opening quarter in :27-seconds.
Driver Jody Jamieson made the same quarter pole move sending 2-1 second choice Warrawee Koine to command down the backstretch and she carved out middle splits of :55.3 and 1:23.4.
Unlike last week though, Warrawee Koine maintained her lead into the stretch to score in 1:52.2 by one and a half lengths. 19-1 Savannas Love (Mario Baillargeon) closed well to nip Marietta Hall for second.
A five-year-old daughter of Astreos-My Gal Hall, Warrawee Koine ($6.20) has won half of her 12 starts this year (five in her last six starts) to earn $124,800 for trainer Colin Johnson and owner Dr. Michael Wilson of Rockwood, Ont. The 18-time career winner now boasts $344,758 in career earnings.
For results from Friday's harness racing card, click on the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Racetrack.