Flamboro Downs hosted the fourth leg of the Slots Cup on Saturday afternoon, with a trio of $12,000 tilts on tap
for the pacers.
Come N Bet It and Dustin McClure took the opening division in a career-best clocking of 1:55.1. The four-year-old son of Intrepid Seelster, who hangs his harness bag in the barn of trainer George McClure, led the field through fractions of :27.2, :56.4 and 1:25 before coasting home in :30.1 to win by five lengths. Stonehouse I J (Mike Horner) was next best, and Huronexpress (Bruce Richardson) rounded out the top three in the six-horse affair.
Dustin shares ownership on the gelding with Catherine McClure of Clinton, Ontario. It was the pacer’s second win of the season, and the lion’s share of the purse helped lift his overall bankroll to $53,582.
Lookin For A Fight and Paul MacKenzie also took a “come and get me approach” to win the second division, but the margin of victory wasn’t as big as that of Come N Bet It. After laying down panels of :27.1, :56.4 and 1:25, the four-year-old son of Cammibest summoned up a :29.1 final frame en route to winning by a neck in 1:54.1. Uncle Bill Mac (Scott Zeron) was a hard-closing runner-up, and the show dough was earned by Western Senator (Jason Brewer).
The victory was the fifth of the season in just 15 trips postward for the V M B Stables’ homebred. The triumph pushed his lifetime earnings past $100,000.
Just A Little Luck and Mark MacDonald couldn’t be caught in the final division, thanks to a gate-to-wire score in 1:53.4. The four-year-old son of Northern Luck was on the hook for fractions of :26.2, :56 and 1:24.3, but he had more than enough in the tank to win by 1-1/2 lengths over Off The Schneid (Dean Wall). Ostinato (Billy Davis, Jr.) was third best.
Martin O’Toole of London, Ontario holds the papers on the Kim Bakker trainee, who is now a six-time winner in 15 starts this season. He has banked over $50,000 this year and more than $95,000 to date.
The series, which spans April through September, includes six legs at Western Fair Raceway, Hanover Raceway, Clinton Raceway, Flamboro Downs, Grand River Raceway and Georgian Downs. The top money-earners from the qualifying legs advance to the $100,000 final at Hiawatha Horse Park on September 11, 2010.
To view Saturday’s results, click here.