Three-year-old trotting colt Northern Escort brushed three-wide down the backstretch and rallied home to deliver as the favourite in the $56,600 final of the Ontario Prep Series for his age and gait grouping on Sunday evening at Flamboro Downs
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Fresh off a victory his elimination last week, Northern Escort lowered his lifetime mark to 1:58.1 in the series final with Sylvain Filion aboard the Kadabra son for trainer Justin Filion and owner Les Ecuries JYJ Inc. of St-Andre-D'Argenteuil, Que.
The other elimination winner, second choice Midfield Magic (Doug Brown), established the early lead from post two as insider Victom Of Changes (Scott Zeron) broke stride off the gate. However, the parked out Silence Son (Torgeir Hagmann) pressed on and cleared to command just before hitting the first quarter marker in :28.2.
Silence Son led the field of nine to the half in :57.4, at which point The Golden Child (Mark Etsell) angled off the pylons from fourth flushing Cimeronken (Billy Davis Jr.) first up from the three-hole. Northern Escort watched from fifth before tipping third over.
Down the backstretch, Cimeronken applied pressure to the leader and poked a head in front while the loaded Northern Escort fanned three-wide. Cimeronken cleared at the 1:28.1 third quarter mark, but Northern Escort was right there challenging around the final turn. The 6-5 favourite pushed ahead into the stretch and opened up two lengths before hitting the wire. Cimeronken finished second while O U Sexy Guy (Jason Brewer) closed from the backfield for third.
Northern Escort paid $4.50 to win. The bay colt, winner of an Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots division as a freshman, has now banked $53,883 in eight lifetime starts.
The Ontario Prep Series is for three-year-old Ontario sired pacers and trotters that are non-winners of $40,000 in 2011.
In regular racing action, three-year-old pacing filly Samillion Dollars, driven by Scott Zeron, extended her win streak to five with a 1:57 career-best equalling performance in a $9,500 fillies and mares claiming-conditioner for trainer Rick Zeron and owner Murray Greenfield. The heavy favourite paid $2.20 to win.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Flamboro Downs.