Both favourites tasted defeat in both $7,300 Prospect Series events for three-year-old male pacers on Sunday's (July 26) card at Clinton Raceway as Mr Cheeseman ($16.80) and Big Sir ($12.70) converted in pillar-to-post fashion in their respective splits.
Big Sir's 1:56 mile in the second division (race eight) earned him top honours, and despite being dispatched at 5-1, he proved peerless. The gelded son of Big Jim sprinted out to a four-length first-quarter lead under Alfie Carroll and controlled splits of :29, :57.4 and 1:26.3 before edging away from the first-over advance of Imalookertoo (Tyler Moore) on the far turn. Imalookertoo only made it to within 2-1/2 lengths of Big Sir on the bend, and Big Sir pulled away to nearly double that margin — winning officially by 4-3/4 lengths and taking a new lifetime mark in the act. Imalookertoo was an isolated second, while 1-2 favourite Dreaming Out Loud (Ryan Holliday) tasted defeat for the first time in his young career, only mustering a third-place finish.
Rebecca Geisel trains four-time winner Big Sir, who is now two-for-two in Prospect Series competition, for Rick Rier.
The first division (race four) saw Mr Cheeseman take advantage of early breaks from 7-5 choice Bet On A Dream and Priceless Sunshine and achieve a :29.4 first-quarter lead out of post six before backing the middle sectionals down to 1:00.4 and 1:30. On the final turn, the Betterthancheddar gelding dug in to repel a persistent first-over challenge from Three Trick Gainer (Jason Ryan) and prevailed by a diminishing head in 1:59.4. Three Trick Gainer stayed on well for second, and Heza Handy Man (Mike Horner) chased three-wide off the runner-up's cover to narrowly take third.
After finishing second to Dreaming Out Loud in all three legs of the Mark Austin Series at Dresden, Mr Cheeseman captured his first career victory. Scott McNiven handles the training duties for owner Donald Douglas.
The card opened with Ontario's first Racing Under Saddle event of 2020, and Lets Leavem ($4.40) delivered a 3-1/4-length victory in 2:03.4. Amber Lawson Brand was in the irons for owner-trainer Sarah Town.
To view Sunday's full results, click the following link: Sunday Results – Clinton Raceway.