Fans at Georgian Downs on Tuesday evening were treated to a rock-solid card of racing which featured the
opening leg of the Masters Series for Ontario-sired performers.
Dreamfair Eternal turned in the nation’s fastest mile of the season for an older pacing mare on a five-eighths mile oval when she toured the Innisfill, ON oval in a time of 1:51 for driver Tony Kerwood and trainer Pat Fletcher. The five-year-old daughter of Camluck – J Cs Nathalie used her patented closing kick to reel in the leaders and post the eye-catching clocking. Southwind Madonna, who chopped out splits of :26.3, :54.3 and 1:22.3, was second best and race favourite Michelles Power was third.
It was the seventh win of the season for in just 12 tries for homebred, who is owned by John and Mary Lamers of Ingersoll, ON. The lion’s share of the $20,000 bumped the distaffer’s 2009 bankroll to $146,850. She has banked $290,845 to date.
Jtlady Strong extended her win streak to three-in-a-row thanks to a 1:56 tally in the older trotting mare division. The five-year-old daughter of Angus Hall - Brisco Maud clicked for driver Jody Jamieson and trainer Norm Jones, who co-owns the mare with John Toma and Elgin Strong. Scottish Cross rallied to finish second and Always Dreaming rounded out the top three.
The victory was the third of the season in 12 tries for Jtlady Strong, who is now a 14-time winner in her career. She has potted more than $32,000 this season and more than $293,000 in her career.
In the second division for the trotting mares, a resurgent Frenchfrysnvinegar battled back for a 1:57 score after being collared in the lane. Keith Oliver laid down fractions of :28, :58 and 1:28.1 with the four-year-old daughter of Angus Hall – Gugus, who was briefly overtaken in the stretch by race favourite Countess Stormont. That rival couldn’t sustain her drive to the finish, and that allowed Frenchfrysnvinegar to come back for the nose decision. Countess Stormont was second and Zorgwijk Heavenly finished third.
Trainer David Smith co-owns the homebred with Big Als Stables Inc. of Woodbridge, ON. She now boasts a 5-2-3 record in 18 starts this season, and that’s good for seasonal earnings of $81,060. She has banked close to $150,000 to date.
Mr Saratoga and driver Dan Clements held off a late rush from race favourite Bigtime Ball to take the pacing horse division in a white-clocking of 1:50.2. It was the nation’s fastest mile of the season for an older pacing horse on a five-eighths mile oval.
Clements whacked out panels of :27, :55.2 and 1:22.3 with the five-year-old son of Million Dollar Cam – Miss Sara Toga, who used a :27.4 final frame to seal the deal. Bigtime Ball was second best and Lyons Geoff grabbed the show dough.
Marty Fine, who trains Mr Saratoga for Onlineharnessowner Com 7 of Uxbridge, ON, watched the pacer win for the third time this season and for the 19th time in his career. He surpassed $400,000 in lifetime earnings in the process.
Define The World took advantage of a costly miscue by the 2/5 favourite Sakic Seelster en route to posting his 1:55.2 tally in the lone division for male trotters. Paul MacDonell engineered the winning trip for the four-year-old son of Duke Of York – Venice Holiday. The gelding, who hangs his harness bag in the barn of trainer John Bax, defeated runner-up Earlsact and third-place finisher Ericskarri.
It was the second win of the season in nine attempts for Define The World, who has banked in excess of $810,000 to date for owner/breeder Al Libfeld of Pickering, ON.
The second leg of the Masters Series goes next Tuesday evening at Georgian Downs, with the $100,000 (added) finals on Saturday, July 11.
In other action on Tuesday evening, Donegal Gerald rallied from off the pace and got up just in the nick of time to take the $15,000 Preferred Pace. Tony Kerwood mapped out the winning trip with the Dave Matson pupil, who hauled down D M Coltfortyfive right at the line in 1:51.1. Junior K was a distant third in the seven-horse affair.
It was the sixth win of the campaign in 19 trips postward for Donegal Gerald, who is owned by John Foran of Newmarket, ON. The five-year-old son of Rambaran – Shes A Flying is now a 20-time winner with earnings in excess of $190,000.
To view Tuesday’s results, click here.