Manitoba's top sophomores faced off in the opening legs of the MSSBA Silk Lace and Golden Boy on Saturday, Aug. 15 at The Loop, with a pair of 20-plus length victories highlighting the performances for in-form connections.
The most impressive of those miles came courtesy Gracie Ghost, who virtually disappeared from her fellow entrants in the single $7,617 Silk Lace opening leg.
Peytons Premiere (Michel Rey) fronted the sextet down the backside but not for long as Clayton Braybrook launched 4-5 choice Gracie Ghost from sixth and last to loop the field through the :30.4 opening quarter and land on top before the three-eighths mark. After fractions of :59.2 and 1:30.2, Gracie Ghost finished her mile in a different postal code than her rivals with the win margin charted at more than 22 lengths. The time of the mile was 2:01.2. Libbys Delight (Blake Piwniuk) was best of the rest with Peytons Premiere in for third.
Braybrook trains Gracie Ghost (Mr Rock-Alot Of Sense) for owner Alice Gilbert of Brandon, Man. The sophomore is now a two-time winner in her eight-start career with $13,809 accrued in earnings. She paid $3.90 to win.
Braybrook had a training triple on the day as Wine N Whiskey ($6.50) and Chics Dragon Flies ($2.40) also posted impressive wins with their conditioner in the sulky. The Braybrook barn has recorded 46 starts for a return of nine wins this year, which comes out to a rate of 19.6 per cent.
Justcruiseonbye ($2.70) was nearly as impressive as Gracie Ghost in his $3,822 division of the MSSBA Golden Boy, but win margin was only 21-3/4 lengths. Sent off as the 1-4 favourite from the rail in the second split, driver Piwniuk yielded to second choice Jimmys Rockin (Tyler Grundy) approaching the first quarter but asked Justcruiseonbye to front the field after a :31.3 opening split. Justcruiseonbye finally landed on the lead around the far turn and then wouldn't relinquish it for the rest of the race. Justcruiseonbye was close to his foes at the 1:02.2 half but then went from cruise to overdrive for the back half. Hitting the third station in 1:34.3, Justcruiseonbye paced home in :29.4 for the 2:04.2 tally. Dial Direct (Richard Remillard) came on for second with Jimmy Rockin in the show spot.
A son of Lambretta-Blinkanyoumissit, Justcruiseonbye is owned by his trainer, Trevor Williams of Landmark, Man. The sophomore sports a 4-2-5 summary from 19 career starts with $18,747 in purses.
One anomaly that should be pointed out in this race is the $39,630 place pool in this race, with $36,317 of that wagered on Justcruiseonbye.
Justcruiseonbye was the star of the show for Piwniuk and Williams, who combined for five victories on the 13-race program. They also won the $3,900 Open Pace, which could have called the Battle of the Sexes as the six-horse field was evenly split between male and female horses. The three inside posts were allotted to the fillies and mares on this occasion, and they swept the top three spots in the Open.
Tami Blue (Braybrook) used the rail position to obtain early command and power through fractions of :30.1 and 1:00.3 before facing the challenge of pocket-popping favourite Ginger Tree Finny (Michel Rey), who was flushed from the pocket by advancing second choice Always Gonna B You. At the 1:31.2 third quarter, Ginger Tree Finny stalled his approach to force Always Gonna B You into three-wide territory. Always Gonna B You cleared the early leader through the final turn and pulled away to win by 3-1/4 lengths with the timer tripped at 2:01.1. Tami Blue stayed for second with Kootenay Cocoa (Darryl Mason) in the show spot.
Now three-for-four since relocating to Manitoba, the seven-year-old Always Gonna B You (Always A Virgin-Passing Fancy) is owned by Williams alongside Tara Isman of Gladstone, Man. and Garett Isman of Calgary, Alta. Now a 27-time winner in her career with more than $653,000 in earnings, she returned $5.60 on a $2 Saturday win wager.
Another win for that Piwniuk and Williams came from Take Out Hanover ($2.10) as the four-year-old son of Stay Hungry-Tempest Blue Chip romped by 10 lengths in the 10th-race claiming event for his fifth straight score. He took over the front at the first station in :29.1 and build his gap throughout, leading by more and more through :58.3 and 1:28.2 panels as he cruised to the 1:59.1 victory. Nonversation (Richard Remillard) nabbed second from St Lads Beat It (Michel Rey). Take Out Hanover is now 14-for-58 lifetime with $86,167 in earnings and seven-for-22 this year. The gelding went five-for-five in Manitoba in his tenure for owner-trainer Williams but will shoot for six in a row for different connections after being claimed in Saturday's race.
Piwniuk and Williams also teamed up for wins with Tempete ($2.10) and Credit Is Magic ($3.40). Piwniuk tacked on a victory with Flying Officer ($2.80) for owner-trainer Aurel Vodon for six on the card. The prolific duo has dominated the Manitoba circuit this season; they led the two-day meet at Miami Fair and are on top through three cards at The Loop. Williams is 20-for-26 this year — a 76.9 per cent win rate — and Piwniuk has 42 wins through 159 starts for a strike rate of 26.4 per cent.
Pipers Ace ($12.70) only had one start on his resume before his appearance in the first $3,822 Golden Boy division, but the son of Im The Pied Piper-Native Playgirl upset 1-9 Rock N The Trailer for his first career win. Driver Paula Mason sat fourth and last as Rock N The Trailer (Piwniuk) rolled through tepid fractions of :31.3, 1:03.3 and 1:35.4. At that third station, Mason moved Pipers Ace three-wide around Trackn A Bandit (Michel Rey) to confront the pacesetter around the far turn. As the field hit the stretch, Pipers Ace pulled away from Rock N The Trailer to win by 2-1/2 lengths in a time of 2:07.3.
Lorraine Rey trains Pipers Ace for breeder-owner Justin Rey of St. Claude, Man.
The second legs of the Silk Lace and Golden Boy are slated for Saturday, Sept. 12 with the finals on Saturday, Oct. 3.
For full results from Saturday's card of harness racing in Winnipeg, click the following link: Saturday Results - The Loop.
(Standardbred Canada; photo of Gracie Ghost after winning on Aug. 15)