An 11-race card brought the curtain down on the 2023 winter-spring meet at Flamboro Downs on Sunday night (May 28).
The featured race on the closing card was an $11,500 conditioned trotting event, won in near coast-to-coast fashion by 2-5 favourite Dealin With Dewey. The five-year-old Wheeling N Dealin gelding circled to the top past a :28 first quarter and cruised through middle splits of :57.1 and 1:27.3 to win going away by 3-1/4 lengths in 1:56.3. Jason Ryan drove the $2.80 winner for owner-trainer Sara Baillargeon.
At the conclusion of the winter-spring meeting, Brett MacDonald leads all drivers with 70 victories collected. Colin Kelly sits second with 64 wins and J Harris in third with 48 wins.
For the training title, a double by Jodie Cullen placed her tied with Richard Moreau at 29 wins each. Francis Guillemette sits third in the training standings with 20 wins.
Racing will return to Flamboro on Sunday, Sept. 3 and will move to a four-day-a-week schedule through Dec. 31.
Sgrignuoli Scores In Billings At Flamboro
Jason Sgrignuoli rolled from the pylon post with Eas Ideal and maintained control to the finish of a 1:56 mile to take the $7,000 Billings Amateur Series Pace at Flamboro Downs on Sunday night.
Eas Ideal grabbed the lead before a :27.4 first quarter with Always Been Crazy (driven by Charles Longo), the even-money favourite, sitting the pocket. Eas Ideal strolled to a :56 half and through three-quarters in 1:26, where he endured a first-over challenge from Always Been Crazy with Fast As Phelps (Matt Zuccarello) on cover. Always Been Crazy levelled off spinning for home, leaving Eas Ideal on a loose lead. Though Gascoigne Sundae (Anthony Verruso) came storming into action late, but too late. Eas Ideal held by three-quarter lengths at the finish with Always Been Crazy taking third and Fast As Phelps finishing fourth.
Richard Moreau conditions Eas Ideal, a 10-year-old gelding by Sportswriter, for owner Jason Sgrignuoli. He paid $10.60 to win.
Billings Amateur Series action shifts to Woodbine Mohawk Park on Monday, May 29 for a $15,000 dash carded as Race 2 on the 11-race card. First-race post time at Mohawk is 7 p.m. (EDT).
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Flamboro Downs.
(with files from Billings Amateur Series)