A runner-up in the Winners Over Pace at Truro Raceway three times this summer, Bettor On Than Off got his photo op after a career-best performance on Friday night, Aug. 1.
Driven by Keith Legge, Bettor On Than Off got away third from the inside post in the $2,500 top class but caught pacesetter Like A Glove and Noah Whebby at the wire in 1:54 flat. Sent postward as the slight 7-5 favourite, he won by a quarter of a length. Coming off three straight wins and assigned the outside post, American Risk finished back in third in rein to Robert Laffin.
Legge made the winning move with Bettor On That Off late in the mile after watching Like A Glove pocket outside leaver American Risk through a :27.2 opening panel and set middle splits of :57.1 and 1:25.4. A :27.4 closing quarter landed Bettor On Than Off in the winner's circle.
Trained and owned by Danny Romo, the six-year-old gelding by Bettors Delight out of Lights Go Out now sports a seasonal record reading 2-3-2 from 11 races competing against Truro's top pacers. Bettor On Than Off hit the double-digit mark for career wins, earning his 10th victory to go along with 17 seconds and eight thirds in 53 lifetime starts.
Artillery Seelster equalled his own track record for two-year-old pacing colts with another 1:56.4 victory at the Truro oval. Robert Laffin sent the Bulldog Hanover-Absolute Heaven colt on a front-end mission through fractions of :28.3, :58.2 and 1:27.4 en route to the five-length score over Rollinread (Rinaldo MacDonald) with Zero Two Sixty (Kenny Parker Jr.) more than eight lengths behind with a flat tire.
Marc Whebby trains the rebound winner, who made a miscue between his record starts. The rookie pacer is now three-for-four to start his career for owner Wayne Whebby of Dartmouth, N.S.
The overall two-year-old male record stands at 1:54, held by gelding Malignity.
Truro Raceway's fourth race was declared a No Contest after an accident occurred in the first turn when Stonebridge Song (Jamie Ramsay Jr.) broke stride causing interference to the pair of horses racing behind him, with Force Of Night (Ernie Laffin) falling and Fern Hill Jubilee (Kenny Parker Jr.) also caught up in the commotion. Force Of Night ran loose before being caught.
The drivers of all three horses involved in the accident were unseated. Ramsay and Parker both returned to action in later races while Laffin booked off his remaining drives on the program.
Laffin told Trot Insider late Friday evening that he escaped serious injury but will be sore for a couple days. Force Of Night will be given time to heal from a few scraps and abrasions that he sustained from the fall.
Please join Standardbred Canada in wishing Laffin and Force Of Night a full and speedy recovery.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Truro Raceway.
(Standardbred Canada)