With just a little more than a month to go before this year’s Pepsi North America Cup, a number of sophomores are trying to prove whether or not they belong against the best pacers in this year’s Glamour Boy division
.
Three sophomores found their way to the winner’s circle at Woodbine Racetrack on Monday evening, and all three of them have been kept eligible to the nation’s marquee race for three-year-old pacers.
Rock To Glory, who is listed at 35-1 in Trot Magazine's Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book, along with Dreamfair Kovu (70-1) and A And Gs Express (85-1) gave their connections plenty to be proud of thanks to their respective scores at Woodbine on Monday evening.
Dreamfair Kovu rallied to win by a one-length margin in a career-best clocking of 1:52.1 for the tandem of driver Randy Waples and trainer Pat Fletcher. Sent off at closing odds of 6-5, the son of P Forty Seven-J Cs Nathalie fired home in :27.1 to seal the deal.
It was a career-best clocking for the homebred youngster, who has gone 4-for-9 in his career for owner/breeder John Lamers of Ingersoll, ON. The pacer is the half brother to a pair of Lamers’ other stars – Dreamfair Eternal (1:49 - $1,708,735) and Dreamfair Vogel (1:49.3 - $1,179,514).
A And Gs Express went 0-for-2 as a rookie, but he was an ultra impressive winner on Monday in his 2011 debut for trainer Casie Coleman. The son of Mach Three-Timeless Classic drew off to win by three lengths in 1:51.4 despite being parked every step of the mile from Post 10.
It was a maiden-breaking triumph for the colt, who is owned by the A And Stables of Bronx, NY. He came with a $70,000 price tag at the 2009 Harrisburg Yearling Sale.
Rock To Glory was treated to a pocket trip in his 2011 debut, and when Mark MacDonald called on him to sprint in the late stages of the mile he did just that. A :27.1 final quarter earned the son of Rocknroll Hanover-Faded Glory not only the win – but it also earned him a flashy, lifetime mark of 1:50.1.
Casie Coleman trains the gelding for owner Mac Nichol of Burlington, ON. Nichol purchased the pacer privately just two starts into his rookie season. He banked just over $100,000 last year after putting together a 2-4-2 record from 10 starts and taking a 1:52.4 speed badge at Woodbine.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Woodbine Racetrack.