Monteverdi and Drinkin Buddy captured the feature events on Saturday, July 11 at Hiawatha Horse Park, with each winning a Preferred for their gait to tally back-to-back wins.
Monteverdi shook loose from the pocket on the final turn for Nick Steward and rolled past The Great Reset for a 9-1 upset victory in the $6,600 Preferred 3 Trot. The Greg Price-trained veteran showed first from post five, crossing over in front of The Great Reset before Lorne House marched that rival to the lead on the first turn. Monteverdi sat the two-hole through :28.2, :58.1 and 1:28.3 splits, then slid out as the first-over Made Of Magic (Dean Wall) faded on the last bend. As they hit the top of the stretch, Monteverdi kicked past the pacesetter and cruised home to score by two lengths in 1:58.2. The Great Reset held second over a closing Marvin Hagler (Anthony Haughan).
Monteverdi, winner of an upper-level conditioned pace at Dresden Raceway last time, brought his seasonal record to two-for-eight. The 12-year-old son of Cantab Hall-Cameo Credit, owned by Karry Howard of Wardsville, Ont., reached the winner’s circle for the 39th time in his 300th start and raised his earnings to $373,835. He returned $21.90 at the windows.
Drinkin Buddy downed another field, taking his second straight score in the $6,600 Preferred 3 Handicap Pace. Donnie Rankin launched the gelding out of post four to lead through a :27.4 opening quarter. Mcwicked Time (Lorne House) worked forward first-over through the half in :58.1 to engage Drinkin Buddy as they raced to three-quarters in 1:26.4. The race was down to those two in the lane, and Drinkin Buddy foiled Mcwicked Time by a half-length in 1:54.3. Cheddar Bay (Peter Core) finished third.
Drinkin Buddy is three-for-18 this season for trainer Heather Pickett, who bred the gelding and co-owns him with Rick Pickett of Goderich, Ont. The seven-year-old Your Nemesis-Zip Car pacer won a conditioned event at Grand River Raceway five days ago and put up his 27th career score on Saturday while upping his bankroll to $216,016 in 144 starts. He paid $4.60 to win.
Sub-featured on the card were two $10,000 Prospect Series Leg 3A divisions for three-year-old pacing fillies. The first went to Weslyn Hanover ($7) in her series debut as she chased down Red Beach One (Lorne House) late for a half-length victory in 1:54.4. Anthony Haughan piloted the daughter of Bettors Delight-Wiggle It Hanover for trainer Meg Crone. Jayport Diamond ($11.70) took the second split by a neck off a pocket trip with trainer Mike Horner in the sulky. The Cattlewash-Beachy Girl miss stopped the clock in 1:53.4.
To view Saturday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Hiawatha Horse Park.
(Standardbred Canada; photo of Monteverdi winning on July 11)