The field is now set for the 2023 Balanced Image Trot after a pair of eliminations were contested on Saturday, Aug. 19 at Hanover Raceway.
Lmc Mr Squishy (pictured above) made every call a winning one to take the fastest of the two $7,500 eliminations. Pat Hudon guided the Archangel - Massive Qutie gelding to his first win in six lifetime starts, with the mile timed in 2:03. Favoured Looks Like Amuscle (J.R. Plante) was more than two lengths back in second with Poof (Tom Smith) and Stonebridge Glee (Tyler Borth) also finding spots in next week's final by finishing third and fourth, respectively.
Hudon trains LMC Mr Squishy for Loredana Cirillo of Kleinburg, Ont. The trotter paid $10.90 as the 9-2 third choice, and he lifted his bankroll to $14,575 with the victory.
The first elimination was more contentious, as five horses were within a half length of eventual winner Coppereagle. Trevor Henry engineered the winning trip, tipping from third on the backstretch to apply pressure to tempo-setter Alexander (Matt Bax) and then forging to the front in the final strides of a 2:03.4 effort. Alexander was a nose back in second, with North Of Nine (Borth) a neck back in third and Eiffel Tower (Samuel Fillion) a half length off in fourth.
Steve Bossence conditions Coppereagle (Muscle Mass - Pistol Penny) for No One Knows Us Stable of Etobicoke, Ont. The colt now sports more than $25,000 in earnings with three wins in four appearances. He returned $10.70 to win as the 9-2 second choice.
Here's the field in post order for next Saturday's $33,400 Balanced Image final:
1. Poof
2. Stonebridge Glee
3. Coppereagle
4. Looks Like Amuscle
5. LMC Mr Squishy
6. North Of Nine
7. Eiffel Power
8. Alexander
The Saturday card at Hanover also featured a pair of Invitational events. Cheddar Rose posted the post eight upset in the $12,000 Doc Morley Invitational Pace for fillies and mares. The daughter of Betterthancheddar - Kingston Who was two lengths the best, winning in 1:59.1 over Acefortyfour Daisy (Trevor Henry) and Kellina Diamond (Ryan Holliday).
Ryan Steward trains Cheddar Rose, now a three-time winner, for Lisa Steward of Ilderton, Ont. She paid a sweet-smelling $19 to win for her supporters.
Sizzlen Hot Herbie enjoyed a pocket ride in the $10,000 Walker Invitation Trot behind front-stepping Sicario (Travis Henry), and when driver Natasha Day tipped the nine-year-old out at the head of the lane, the veteran gelding responded willingly to hit the wire first in 1:58.1. Sicario was three-quarters of a length back in second with Lilys Lass (Jeff Hunt) rounding out the top trio.
Day owns, trains and drives the popular Sizzlen Hot Herbie (Here Comes Herbie - Six Red), now a 32-time winner with $279,800 earned in his 178-start career. As the public's choice, he paid $3.40 to win.
To view the results for Saturday's card of harness racing at Hanover, click the following link: Saturday Results - Hanover Raceway.