After finishing third and second in the first two preliminary rounds, Too Soon BG turned a pocket ride into an 11-1 upset in the third leg of the Diane 'Mum' Stevenson Memorial Series, for $17,361 claiming pacers, on Thursday, Aug. 1 at Ocean Downs.
In the last of three divisions, William Carter kept the pocket closed with Too Soon BG as Hundie and Bit Of Luck dueled through a :27.1 first quarter and 7-5 favourite Bet On Buter faltered in the backfield. The six-year-old Betterthancheddar-Lily Star BG gelding vacated the golden chair on the final turn and powered clear to win by a widening 3-3/4 lengths in 1:54.3. Make Some Waves and Righthererightnow — 22-1 and 23-1, respectively — completed the ticket.
Christopher Sharpe trains Too Soon BG, who paid $24.20 to win, for Anthony Carson Jr.
The second division saw 3-2 favourite Candys Image Rocks score his second win in the series, controlling splits of :28.1, :57.1 and 1:25.4 en route to a 1-1/2-length score over two-time series winner Southwind Dredge. Jonathan Roberts drove the new acquisition for trainer Michael Hall, who claimed the the seven-year-old Rockin Image gelding out of the second leg of the series.
In the opening division, 3-5 favourite Brutus Bayama sustained an extended first-over grind to reel in pacesetter Cntnobdytelmenothn and evade Franzo by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:54.4. Johnathan Ahle drove for trainer Joe Hundertpfund Jr.
The series concludes next Thursday (Aug. 8) with an added-money $12,500 USD final.
Roberts and Trae Porter led all drivers with three wins apiece on the 11-race card.
Live racing at Ocean Downs resumes Sunday, Aug. 4; first post is 7:05 p.m.
(Ocean Downs)