Eleven-year-old trotting stallion Celebrity Pegasus and seven-year-old pacing mare Passionate Deo captured Northville Downs's co-featured $10,800 Open Trot and Mares Open Pace on Friday night.
In the featured trot, Kim Pluta drove Celebrity Pegasus (pictured above) from off the pace to victory after early leaders Stoneborough (Bart Stimer) and Swan Leader (Charles Taylor) got tired off the fractions of :28, :58.2 and 1:27.3 through three-quarters. The son of Andover Hall drove up three-wide to grab command down the lane and won by a length in 1:57.4 over Travlin Swan (Art McIlmurray), who closed up for second while Stoneborough settled for third.
The victory for Celebrity Pegasus was career win number 48 and his purse earnings ticked up to $507,446. Celebrity Pegasus is owned by Joshua Graber and trained by Samuel Eicher.
In the Mares Open, Passionate Deo and driver/trainer Tyler Miller flew off the car to grab the early lead and they never looked back, winning by a length in 1:54.3 -- just three-fifths of a second off of the aged pacing mares track record. Princess Rockette (Lindsay Moen) closed hard for second and Skyway Rockatop (David Lake) closed up for third.
Passionate Deo set all the fractions (:26.4, :54.3, 1:23.3, 1:54.3) to capture her 23rd career win and push her lifetime earnings to $205,711. The mare is owned by Greenhorn Racing.
Three drivers doubled up on the night: Kody Massey, Kim Pluta and Jason Merriman. Trainers Linda Main, Samuel Eicher and Paul Cloer Jr. all had doubles on the program as well.
Racing at Northville Downs resumes Saturday, May 13 at 7 p.m.
(With files from Northville Downs)