Two of the brightest stars in harness racing, Foiled Again and John Campbell, will both be at The Raceway at the Western Fair District on Friday, May 18 to contest the eliminations for the Molson Pace
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Foiled Again, one of the most talented pacers to step on a racetrack in recent years, will attempt to defend his Molson Pace title in the second of two $20,000 Molson Pace eliminations on the stakes-packed card.
The $300,000 Molson Pace, the signature race at the London, Ont. oval, will be contested on Friday, May 25. However, the horses will have to contest elimination races this Friday night to earn a berth into the rich final.
For Foiled Again, it will be his fourth appearance in the Molson Pace. In 2009, he won his elimination, but finished fifth in the final after a being locked in for most of the mile. The following year, he finished a close second in both his elimination and final; and in the 2011 event he was an impressive three-length victor in both his elimination and the final.
The eight-year-old gelding by Dragon Again has drawn Post 3 in his elimination. Regular pilot Yannick Gingras will make the trip to London to guide him.
So far this year, Foiled Again has earned $228,000 from just eight starts to give him $3.6-million in lifetime purse earnings.
For John Campbell, who will be driving Razzle Dazzle in the same elimination, it will be a homecoming of sorts. The sports’ richest driver of all time got his start in racing at Western Fair Raceway before making his home in New Jersey at the Meadowlands Racetrack.
The two Molson Pace eliminations are scheduled to head to the gate as follows --- please note that final driver assignments are still to be made --- with the top four in each returning for the final:
Race 4 – First Elimination
(Post. Horse – Driver)
1. Up The Credit – Jody Jamieson
2. Clear Vision – Yannick Gingras
3. St Elmo Hero – Jody Jamieson
4. Atochia – Yannick Gingras
5. Stonebridge Tonic – Doug McNair
Race 9 – Second Elimination
(Post. Horse – Driver)
1. Aracache Hanover – Doug McNair
2. Valentino – Jody Jamieson
3. Foiled Again – Yannick Gingras
4. Machal Jackson – JR Plante
5. Razzle Dazzle – John Campbell
6. Secret Weapon – Scott Young
The track will host a stakes-packed card on Friday, as the program also features the first Ontario Sires Stakes event of the 2012 racing season, for three-year-old trotting colts, in three $40,000 Gold Series eliminations, as well as several City of London events.
To view the harness racing entries for Friday at the WFD, click the following link: Friday Entries - The Raceway at the Western Fair District.
The Raceway is also pleased to feature the induction of Terry Provost to the Wall of Fame on Friday evening, following a race in his honour (Race 6). This award is the highest bestowed by the WFD and well deserved by the longtime race secretary who spent almost two decades working at the London race office.
Molson Pace Preview Show On Rogers TV
The Western Fair District’s new television show ‘In The District’ will make its debut tonight (Tuesday, May 15) on Rogers TV and will be devoted to the upcoming Molson Pace on Friday, May 25.
The show, which will be hosted by WFD Marketing Director Sarah Imrie, will air at 7:30 p.m. and will be aired again on the following dates and times: Friday, May 18 (7:00 p.m.), Sunday, May 20 (8:00 p.m.), Tuesday, May 22 (7:30 p.m.) and Friday, May 25 (6:30 p.m.)
Tonight’s episode contains features on the history of the Molson Pace, a chat with recent Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee Dave Wall, a 'Betting 101' segment and profiles on Up The Credit, Dalhousie Dave and St Elmo Hero.
First post for Molson Pace night is 6:50 p.m.
(With files from the WFD)