Manitoba-sired sophomores competed in the second preliminary of provincial-bred stakes competition at Killarney on Sunday, Aug. 11.
Heartlandbanysbro opened the program with a pocket-pouncing 2:03.1 victory in the $3,129 first division of the Golden Boy. Trainer-driver Marc Fillion stalked odds-on favourite Backatthetrack through splits of :31 and 1:02.1 before angling the son of Armbro Baylor off the pylons approaching three-quarters in 1:33.1. Heartlandbanysbro slid to a slim lead entering the stretch and opened a length on Backatthetrack to collect his second win from 10 starts. Allan Drader owns the winner of $8,634 who paid $8.90 to win.
Saskabush Steve delivered as the favourite in the other Golden Boy division, swooping from last to win by four lengths in 2:02.4. The gelded son of Lambretta sat fifth while Cracker Jaxx posted a clip of :29.4 and 1:01.3 on the lead. Trainer-driver Don Howlett tipped Saskabush Steve from last moving towards three-quarters in 1:32.3 and rushed past a first-over bid from Charlies Dragon to win. Charlies Dragon held second from Cracker Jaxx in third.
Wanda Howlett and Dwayne Taylor own the winner of six races from 11 starts, who has accrued $10,605 in earnings. He paid $2.90 to win.
Howlett and connections also won the race prior—the $3,561 lone division of the Silk Lace—with Sprinttothefinish, who charged off cover to win in 2:04.2. Positioned fourth to the quarter, Sprinttothefinish sat off fractions of :29.2, 1:01.3 and 1:33.3 before catching cover from Chase The Ace heading to the final turn. Chase The Ace took a narrow lead turning into the stretch before Sprinttothefinish outkicked her to win by a neck. Birds I View, the odds-on favourite and pacesetter, faded to third.
A daughter of Armbro Baylor, Sprinttothefinish won her second race from five starts, earning $5,258. She paid $5.40 to win.
Gray Zee took the $2,700 Open Pace going first over in 1:58.2. The six-year-old I Zee gelding pulled from third past a :30 opening quarter to challenge pacesetter Prairie Mystic through a :59.1 half and three-quarters in 1:28.4. Gray Zee narrowed on the leader through the remainder of the mile before finally putting a neck in front to beat the favourite. Outlaw Kismet finished third with broken equipment.
Co-owned by trainer-driver Ryan Grundy with Trevor Williams and Annabelle Pirie, Gray Zee won his sixth race from 19 starts this season and his 27th from 127 overall, earning $147,340. He paid $3.90 to win.
Noisy Nora nabbed the $2,200 Fillies and Mares Open Pace with a 2:02.2 victory under wraps. Trainer-driver Don Howlett, who drove five winners on the day and trained four, positioned the four-year-old Custard The Dragon mare third while Alot Of Sense cleared the front past a :29.2 opening quarter. Staying put through a :58.2 half, Noisy Nora angled first over coming to three-quarters in 1:30.3 and swept past Alot Of Sense while chased by favourite Jenn On The Rocks. Noisy Nora cruised to the wire while Jenn On The Rocks gave pursuit to finish second, one-and-a-half-lengths away, with Witch Doctor finishing third.
Owned by Wanda Howlett, Ralph Morrow and Dwayne Taylor, Noisy Nora won her fourth race from 18 starts this season and her 11th from 56 overall, earning $67,919. She paid $5.30 to win.
Senga Savannah broke the track record for three-year-old pacing geldings with a wire-to-wire victory in a $2,000 conditioned pace. Trainer-driver Ryan Grundy cut a clip of :29.2, :59.2 and 1:29.3 to finish one-and-a-half lengths better than Hf Zeligs Glory in a 2:01 mile, lowering the record by one second. Kenneth Gunn owns the son of Riverboat King who paid $5.80 to win.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Killarney.