Christopher Giaccio’s Allmar Surprise broke the all-aged track record for trotters at Harrington Raceway Wednesday with a decisive
1:54.2 win in the $16,000 Junior Open Trot.
Trained by her driver Victor Kirby, Allmar Surprise ($3) was sent for the front early from post position five and set fractions of :27.4, :56.3 and 1:25.3 while Sea Raven attacked first over and tucked in behind the leader and race favourite. In deep stretch, Allmar Surprise trotted away and won by open lengths as Sea Raven held second with Second Hand News finishing third, while a new track record was in the books.
The former track record of 1:54.4 was set by Hunt M Down in 2006. Allmar Surprise, a seven-year-old daughter of Angus Hall, already held the mark for four-year-old and aged trotting mares.
The season’s mark for trotters of all sexes, was previously held by Perfect Rendition (1:54.3), set on May 10 at Yonkers. Allmar Surprise now has the fastest mark of any trotter in North America on a half-mile in 2012.
Harrington’s two-time defending driving champ Ross Wolfenden had four driving wins on the Wednesday program.
(With files from Harrington Raceway)