Lite Up The World lived up to the hype as the 1-9 favourite in the $20,000 opening leg of the Dream Maker Series for two-year-old pacers early on the Friday, July 26 evening card at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
For his first of four winning drives on the card, James MacDonald moved the Tony Beaton-trained Lite Up The World to the lead from and early four-hole after a :27.2 opening quarter and never looked back from there, reeling off middle splits of :56.4 and 1:26 en route to the 1:51.3 victory. First-quarter leader Ayeaye Captain Deo (Sylvain Filion) followed 1-1/4 lengths behind and his stablemate Nova Blu (Louis-Philippe Roy) rounded out the top three nearly eight lengths back for trainer Garry Merner.
Lite Up The World was the overwhelming favourite with his four foes sent postward at odds greater than 25-1. He paid $2.10 to win. There was no place or show wagering.
"I let James do whatever he wants and he's been driving this colt great," said Beaton in a post-race interview. "We know [Lite Up The World] can pace home fast and [James] gave him a chance tonight there up the backside and he said he's actually kind of lazy, this colt, but once you get at him, he paces forward and gives it his all."
Owned by Mac and Carol Nichol of Burlington, Ont., the American Ideal-Turnoffthelights colt is a full brother to the millionaire Grand Circuit stakes winner Bedroomconfessions and was a $95,000 yearling purchase from the Lexington Selected Sale.
Lite Up The World is just head shy of a perfect record following back-to-back 1:51.3 victories -- fastest for a two-year-old male pacer in Canada so far this year -- after launching his career in the Tompkins-Geers Stakes on June 28 when he just missed off a :25.4 closing quarter.
The Dream Maker Series continues next Friday, Aug. 2 with the $50,000 (added) final scheduled for the following Friday, Aug. 9.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada)