Hall of Famer Bob McIntosh sent four sophomore pacing colts to Woodbine Racetrack on Monday evening, and all four of them got the job done for driver Randy Waples
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Dapper Dude, who is listed at 35-1 in Trot Magazine's 2012 Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book, got things rolling with a 1:51.4 score in a $23,000 conditioned event. The flashy son of The Panderosa-Dress To Suggest sat third behind an opening panel of :26.4 before brushing to the lead at the mid-way point in :56. He led the field to the three-quarter marker in 1:24.4 before sprinting home in a :27-second clip to stop the timer in 1:51.4
The homebred, who put together a 2-2-0 record from just five starts as a rookie, is owned by the Robert McIntosh Stables Inc of Windsor and the Al McIntosh Holdings Inc of Leamington, ON. The pacer, who earned a speed badge of 1:51.2 as a freshman, banked just under $75,000 last year.
Thinking Out Loud, listed at 45-1 in the Spring Book, stepped to a career-best clocking of 1:51 in his $20,000 conditioned assignment later on the card. The son of Ponder-Los Angeles got sat fifth behind a :26.2 opening quarter, and commenced a first-over rally from the five-hole as the field hit the half in a :56-second clip. Waples pressed the pace in the third quarter, with that fraction flashing up in 1:24.2. A :26.2 closing panel was turned in by the colt, who earned the victory by three-quarters of a length.
Robert McIntosh Stables Inc, C S X Stables and Al McIntosh Holdings Inc bred and own the youngster, who was making his first start of the season after producing a 3-1-0 box score from four trips to the track last year. The pacer took a 1:52.4 rookie record when he captured last season’s $50,000 final of the Dream Maker Stake at Mohawk Racetrack. He banked just under $50,000 along the way.
In Commando, who was a two-time winner in the OSS program last year, kicked off his sophomore campaign with a popular victory in a $20,000 conditioned tilt. The son of Camluck-Lingerie sat fourth through an opening quarter of :26.3 before marching up to the press the leader at the half in a :56-second clip. He was still first-over at the three-quarter pole in 1:23.4, but then used a :27.4 closing quarter to draw clear by 2-3/4 lengths in 1:51.4
He made 11 starts last year and put together a 2-3-4 record along the way for the partnership of Robert McIntosh Stables Inc and Al McIntosh Holdings Inc. He finished off his initial campaign with earnings in excess of $83,000.
Rockin Finish capped off the card – and what turned out to be an exceptional night for McIntosh and Waples – with a 1:52.3 tally in the curtain closer. The son of Rocknroll Hanover-Please Me Please was fifth and parked past the quarter in :26.2, but he brushed to the top and laid down fractions of :55.4 and 1:25 before using a :27.3 kicker to post the one-length triumph.
Owned and bred by Lothlorien of Cheltenham, ON, the odds-on favourite assembled a 1-3-3 freshman record from just eight trips postward. He broke his maiden last season at Hiawatha Horse Park in a modest clocking of 1:58.4, and banked more than $37,000 along the way.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Woodbine Racetrack.