Driver Garrett Rooney built on his early lead in the Leamington Raceway drivers’ standings as he won half of the 10 races at the track on Sunday, Aug. 17.
He got on the board in the second race with Playful Molly ($5.60). After sliding into the three-hole early, he sent the sophomore filly to the front passing the stands, and she powered away from the field to win by 3-3/4 lengths in 2:01. The victory was her second of the year in 20 outings.
That win started a natural hat trick for the reinsman. In Race 3, Rooney had Tobins Wish ($3.30) first-up from the half, and the six-year-old mare grinded to victory, her first of the year in 17 tries, by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:59. He then got My Little Friend ($7.40) to the winner's circle with a wire-to-wire performance in the fourth race. The three-year-old gelding won by a length in 1:59 to take his second win in 24 attempts this season.
Fourteen-year-old veteran O Narutac Perfetto showed his class as he gutted out a first-over march from just past the midway point to score for Rooney in the seventh race in 2:02.2. The gelding was a neck in front for his 10th tally in 25 starts in his twilight season.
The driver then won the finale with Grand Circuit, moving her to the lead twice before three-eighths, and the four-year-old mare stayed on top from there to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:58.1. She improved to eight-for-32 on the year.
Rooney has taken nine wins in two cards at Leamington this season, and the defending titleholder leads by six in the drivers’ standings over second-placed Scott Wray. He has a 20 per cent win rate this year with 168 victories and is on pace for a fourth straight season with more than 200 wins and $1 million in earnings.
To view Sunday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Leamington Raceway.
(Standardbred Canada; photo of Garrett Rooney winning on Aug. 6)