Trainer Dr. Ian Moore is hoping one of his three-year-old pacing colts, State Treasurer, Spinarama or Ontheclock Hanover, can travel the same path as last year’s Pepsi North America Cup champion
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Last year, Carl Jamieson trainee Up The Credit won the final of The Diplomat Pacing Series and then a division of the Somebeachsomewhere Stakes before capturing the prestigious ‘Cup.’
On Thursday at Woodbine Racetrack, NA Cup eligibles State Treasurer, Spinarama and Ontheclock Hanover will continue their Cup quest in a pair of $35,000 second-round divisions of The Diplomat.
Dr. Moore believes State Treasurer could be the one to cash in.
“He was the best of three three-year-olds that I was training all winter in Florida,” said the resident of Rockwood, Ont. “He trained very well over the winter.”
The son of Real Desire-Ideal Treasure has put together two wins, two seconds and one third-place finish in nine lifetime outings, which includes an off-the-pace score in 1:56.1 in the first leg of The Diplomat over a 'sloppy' track. The triumph lifted the colt’s career earnings to $61,636 for owners Sally and Sophie MacDonald.
Dr. Moore admits his small-framed charge wasn’t always well behaved.
“Kenny Arsenault had broke him and trained him in Charlottetown in the fall of 2010 and the early part of the spring in 2011,” Dr. Moore explained. “I got the colt about June and he raced very well for us when we first started with him, but he got very hot on me at the end of the year.
“He got kind of uncontrollable on the track, even at the farm track,” he continued. “So I was very careful with him all winter. In terms of training and jogging him, we did everything we could to keep him calm and relaxed. We trained him behind other colts all the time.”
The conditioner is pleased with the progress he sees in State Treasurer.
“He is behaving a lot better on the track, in terms of not being a runaway,” said Dr. Moore. “He is more manageable, at least so far.”
Spinarama and Ontheclock Hanover, who are owned by Dr. Moore, R G McGroup Ltd, and former NHLer Serge Savard, finished fourth in their respective ‘Diplomat’ divisions.
Having only shipped up from Florida about nine days prior to the first leg, Dr. Moore’s three students arrived at his Ontario stable the Saturday night before having to race Monday evening (April 23).
Now, having had the chance to adapt to their new surroundings, Dr. Moore feels his colts will put forth a better effort in the second leg.
“They all trained super (on Monday) so I am looking for them to maybe be a little bit better on Thursday and I guess they will have to be because the one Rob Fellows has, Piston Broke, looks like a real nice colt,” he said. “That was the first time I saw him and he looks like he is going to be the one to beat, that’s for sure.”
Ontheclock Hanover (to be driven by Jack Moiseyev) will start from Post 6 in the first dash, and State Treasurer (Jody Jamieson) and Spinarama (Jack Moiseyev) will begin from Post 2 and Post 5, respectively, in the second division.
Twelve three-year-old pacing fillies will also contest a single $35,000 second-round division of the Princess Pacing Series. The 12-race program will get underway at 7:30 p.m.
The $75,000 finals of The Diplomat and Princess Series are scheduled for Saturday, May 12.
To view the harness racing entries for Thursday at Woodbine, click the following link: Thursday Entries - Woodbine Racetrack.
(WEG)