Huntinthelastdolar utilized an aggressive steer from driver Yannick Gingras to take the $263,000 Charles Juravinski Memorial Cup for four-year-old pacers which highlighted the 11-race stakes heavy card on Sunday, May 19 at Flamboro Downs.
Leaving from post three, Huntinthelastdolar entered the first turn on the lead before exiting the turn third as Dupree Hanover (Doug McNair) and then All Class (Bob McClure) crossed over to the lead through a hot first quarter of :26.3. Gingras had already tugged the right line by the opening quarter to hustle Huntinthelastdolar back to the front end on the second turn before leading the field to the half in :54.4 while No Control (Louis-Philippe Roy) applied pressure at the leader's wheel first-up. Gingras began to go to work on the backstretch while the action picked up behind him, with Ervin Hanover (Tyler Borth) tipping three-wide to move into second as Huntinthelastdolar led to three-quarters in 1:22.2.
Entering the final turn, Huntinthelastdolar looked for separation while All Class utilized his inside position in the pocket to regain second and began to look inside of the leader turning for home. Digging in gamely with a :27.3 final quarter, Huntinthelastdolar was able to hold All Class at bay by three-quarters of a length in 1:50. Seven Colors (Dexter Dunn) made a wide rally on the final turn to get up for third, with Blue Hunt (Travis Cullen) finishing fourth. Huntinthelastdolar returned $6 to win at the betting windows.
The victory was the second in four seasonal outings for Huntinthelastdolar, who is trained by Per Engblom. Owned by E Five Racing and John Fielding, the gelded son of Huntsville-Eighthundrolarbill was bred by Crawford Farms LLC and vaulted his career bankroll to $669,279 with his 10th lifetime victory.
Earlier on the card, Talk Curdy To Me delivered as the 2-5 favourite to take the $50,000 Margaret Juravinski Memorial Invitational for four-year-old pacing mares.
Saddled with post five in the field of six, driver James MacDonald landed Talk Curdy To Me in the fourth position early while Glenboro (Travis Cullen) laid down the first quarter in :27. MacDonald flushed the cover of Powder Play (Jody Jamieson) to move second-over on the outside while Glenboro continued to lead to the half in :56.2. With his cover beginning to stall, Macdonald moved Talk Curdy To Me three-wide on the backstretch while Glenboro looked to sneak away by 2-1/4 lengths at three-quarters in 1:24.3.
Talk Curdy To Me got down to business on the final turn, quickly erasing the deficit to put her nose in front turning for home. Glenboro refused to go away, but it was Talk Curdy To Me who prevailed in the lane with a :27.3 final quarter to win by a half length in 1:52.4. Ima Doll (Tyler Borth) finished in the show position.
David Menary trains the winning daughter of Betterthancheddar-Keepers Destiny for owner Pollack Racing LLC. Now a three-time winner in 2024, Talk Curdy To Me pushed her career earnings to $286,737 with the win.
The 50th season of Ontario Sire Stakes kicked off during the Flamboro card as well, with three $20,000 divisions of the Grassroot Series for three-year-old colt and gelding trotters.
Louis-Philippe Roy scored the 9-1 upset victory aboard North Of Nine in the first division. Roy settled North Of Nine in the third position while Alexander (Todd Ratchford) cut the first half in fractions of :28.1 and :58.1 on the lead. Roy hustled North Of Nine first-over in the third quarter to engage the leader at that station in 1:27.3. North Of Nine carried his momentum to the lead turning for home before fending off a late inside rally from Scintillating Tom (Doug McNair) to win by a length in 1:57.1.
The victory was the first in five starts in 2024 for the Keith Jones trainee and second for his career. Owned by Douglas McCarthy, the son of Royalty For Life-Hit The Hay now boasts a career bankroll of $25,652 with the lifetime best victory.
Bob McClure was aboard Stormont Happy Day to pull a mild 5-1 upset of his own in the second division. Stormont Happy Day landed in the fourth position while Devils Kiss (Louis-Philippe Roy) led to a first quarter in :29. A breaker in front led to Stormont Happy Day moving into third at the half in 1:00 before stalking the duelling leaders of Devils Kiss and 1-5 favourite Jack N Abs (Doug McNair) at three-quarters in 1:30.2. Jack N Abs took command as Devils Kiss jumped it off on the final turn, before Stormont Happy Day came with a head of steam to nail the victory by a half length in 1:59.
Trained by Kevin Benn, Stormont Happy Day has now won back-to-back in 2024 after breaking his maiden in his last outing, and is yet to finish worse than second through four starts this season. The homebred son of Muscle Mass-Countess Stormont has now earned $46,071 for owners Stormont Meadows.
After finishing second in each of the first two divisions, driver Doug McNair got his victory in the third and final division with Muscle Detector. Starting from post five, McNair put Muscle Detector right on the lead to the first quarter in :28.4, before tapping the brakes to the half in :59.4. Muscle Detector remained unchallenged to three-quarters in 1:30 before trotting away by 3-3/4 lengths on the line to win in 1:59 over Blarney Castle and James MacDonald.
The victory broke the maiden of Muscle Detector in his third start of 2024 and sixth career start. Trainer Gregg McNair co-owns the gelded son of Alarm Detector-Showmeyourmuscles along with Dean Lockhart, Thomas Rankin and Trojan Horse. Muscle Detector now sports a career bankroll of $18,506 with the win.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Flamboro Downs.
(Standardbred Canada)