Hilarious Halo sprinted home to capture the $43,400 Friendship Pacing Series final in a speedy 1:51 track record performance for aged pacing horses at Kawartha Downs on Saturday night
. The Friendship Pacing Series, which rotated between legs at Kawartha Downs and Georgian Downs, is for three-year-olds and up that were non-winners of $100,000 in 2010.
Driven by Scott Coulter, Hilarious Halo got away sixth from a Post 7 start in the field of nine, consisting of the top money earners in the series. Following a :26.2 first quarter put up by Royal Becquet (James MacDonald), Hilarious Halo followed the cover of Power Off (Gord Brown) past the :55.3 half-mile mark. Power Off cleared the lead during the third interval with Hilarious Halo stalking in the first over position to three-quarters in 1:22.3. The five-year-old son of The Panderosa-Bestaverde fired home in :28.1 to steal the spotlight. Finishing three lengths behind was Power Off, who held on for second over Royal Becquet.
Hilarious Halo paid $6.30 to win. The Brad Shakes trainee is owned by Dan Mogridge of Hillsdale and Jeffery Oborne of Jordan Station, Ont. Hilarious Halo won all three of the series’ legs that he competed in. The victory was his sixth in 18 starts this year and pushed his earnings to nearly $80,000. The 15-time career winner has banked $187,783 to date.
Saturday's card also featured a pair of Pacin N Racin Series divisions.
Three-year-old Mach Three colt Stolen Car and driver Aaron Byron won the first $7,000 division in 1:55.3 for trainer Craig Barss, who shares ownership with Nurko Sokolovic of Waterloo, Ont.
The second split went to Intrigued Royally and trainer-driver Tony Kerwood in 1:53.2. The four-year-old Royal Mattjesty gelding is owned by the Intrigued Again Stable of Rockwood and Kenneth O'Connor of Oakwood, Ont.
For results from Saturday's harness racing card, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Kawartha Downs.