Manitoba-sired sophomore pacers gathered at Holland Fair on Saturday to face off in a pair of Golden Boy divisions for the boys and a pair of Silk Lace splits for the ladies
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Idle On Over prevailed in the first and fastest of two $4,097 Golden Boy divisions for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings.
P Js Abba (Roland Rey) carved out the early panels of :30.2 and 1:02.2 before coming under attack from the pocket-sitting Forutonv (Dean Rey) at the three-quarters mark in 1:32.2. From there, Idle On Over and Ryan Grundy, the 4-1 fourth choice, kicked into action from third and pulled away from the field of six to win by six lengths in a career-best 2:03.2. P Js Abba finished second and My Buddy Gris (Cory Manning) came on for third.
Idle On Over scored his third win in seven races this year for trainer Ross Robert, who co-owns with Arlene Ross of Virden, MB. The Firm Friend gelding won for the fourth time in his career lifting his earnings to $4,972.
With George Isman in the bike for trainer Dean Rey, Hes A Tomboy broke his maiden in the second division after making a three-wide move at the third quarter pole and charging home for the 10-1 upset. Hes A Tomboy’s stablemate, Sues Prince (Dean Rey), finished two and a half lengths back in second with the favourite and early pacesetter, Cool Thing (Roland Rey), ending up third. Rey also bred the Abbatom colt and shares ownership with Jennifer Rey of St. Claude, MB.
In the first $4,165 Silk Lace division for three-year-old pacing fillies, the favoured Betts Karma carved out all the fractions en route to a six and a half length score for trainer/driver Don Anness, who also co-owns with Sheild Anness of Emo, Ont. The Firm Friend filly, who is now two-for-two in her career, battled with the pocket-sitting Buddysrunningshoes (Roland Rey) past three-quarters, but that one made a break and left Betts Karma in the clear. She stopped the clock in 2:06.1.
In the fastest split of the night, Heartland Icicle and trainer/driver Philip Griesbrecht landed on top by the first quarter pole in :29.2 and carved out the remaining fractions of 1:01.2 and 1:32.1. Fan Favourite Bubbles Promise (Greg Manning) applied first-over pressure through the middle panels, but was only able to come within a length of the leader and ended up finishing third. Heartland Icicle paced her way to a bareer-best 2:02.3 victory while Great Gates (Dean Rey) finished a length and a half behind.
The Solid Ice filly in now three-for-three in her sophomore campaign. The winner of four races and $6,354 is owned by Al Car Farms and Carole Drader of Brookdale, MB.
The second legs of the Golden Boy and Silk Lace will take place at Killarney at the beginning of August with the finals scheduled for the end of the month at Miami.
In the $1,650 Fillies & Mares Open Pace, A Day To Play scored her first win of the year in 2:02.3 with Ron Cullen aboard for trainer Jodie Cullen, who enjoyed a training triple on the nine-race program. The five-year-old Allamerican Ingot mare won for the seventh time in her career lifting her bankroll to $19,438 for the Cullens.
To view Saturday’s results, click here.