There was no shortage of speed on Tuesday evening at Georgian Downs thanks in part to the 1:54.4
effort turned in by Ziegler Hanover in the $15,000 Preferred Trot and Just Plug It In’s 1:51.3 score in the $15,000 Preferred Pace.
Driver Mario Baillargeon and trainer Ben Baillargeon joined forces to take Tuesday's top trot with Ziegler Hanover, who minded his manners from start to the finish en route to posting a career-best clocking of 1:54.4 over Merited Victory and race favourite Rose Run Hooligan.
The four-year-old son of Andover Hall-Xqsmwa, who has battled through some breaking problems in recent weeks, capitalized on a second-over trip to pick up his seventh win of the season for the partnership of Daniel Plouffe of Bedford and Jean Dessureault of Candiac, QC. The gelding has banked more than $120,000 in his career.
Just Plug It In out-paced his Preferred foes for the second week-in-a-row, and in doing so he earned a new speed badge of 1:51.3 for the tandem of driver Rick Zeron and trainer Duane Marfisi.
The five-year-old son of Artsplace-Electrical Express chopped out splits of :26.4, :56.4 and 1:24.2 before rolling home in :27.1 en route to the 1:51.3 decision. Secret Weapon rallied to finish second and Donegal Gerald came on late to finish third.
Just Plug It In, who was sent off as the 4/5 favourite for owners Alan Alber, Aaron Waxman and PSHL Stable, won for the fourth time this season in just nine trips postward. The 15-time winner has banked more than $224,000 to date.
Jody Jamieson, who continues to lead all Canadian drivers when it comes to winning races in 2009, packed away another six trips to victory lane.
The Cambridge, ON horseman notched four consecutive wins (Races 3-6) with Malahide (1:59), Dee Dees Ingot (1:55), Big Bruiser (1:59.3) and Skole (1:54.2) before sweeping the Late Double (Races 11-12) with Nocturnal (1:52) and Vegas (1:54.2).
With a little more than half of the season in the books, Jamieson has already picked up more wins than he did over the course of his 2008 campaign. He enjoyed 337 wins last season, and he has already stockpiled 362 this year. The career winner of 4,638 races is well on his way to hitting the $60 million mark in lifetime earnings. He currently sits at $58,470,993.
To view Tuesday’s results, click here.