It's not everyday that Canadian harness racing history is made, but driver Bob McClure etched his name in the record books twice on Sunday (August 22) at Georgian Downs thanks to the efforts of O'Brien Award winners Forbidden Trade and Tattoo Artist.
Forbidden Trade, the 2019 Hambletonian winner, returned to his home province with force, taking the $75,000 Hon. Earl Rowe Memorial Invitational.
Driver Bob McClure settled into second with Forbidden Trade moving to a :26.4 first quarter before circling to the lead passing the stands first time. From there, the five-year-old Kadabra stallion made little doubt on the lead, strolling to a :55 half and through three-quarters in 1:23 to stop the clock in 1:51.3, matching the track and Canadian record for a five-eighths track set by stablemate Lookslikeachipndale in 2016. Only For Justice gave chase in second, four lengths behind the winner, with Oney Hall closing for third.
Owned by Determination, Forbidden Trade won his third race from eight starts this season and his 19th from 38 overall, earning $1,647,162. Luc Blais trains the $2.60 winner.
McClure teamed with another old pupil returning from the States, Tattoo Artist, to take the $100,000 Four-Year-Old Invitational later in the card.
Back in the barn of trainer Dr. Ian Moore, Tattoo Artist took the lead past a :26.1 first quarter and sped around the track to a :54.1 half and 1:22.1 three-quarters with Fortify in tow from the pocket. The pair gained separation on the field as Fortify slid out of the pocket at the bottom of the turn to take on Tattoo Artist in the straightaway. But Tattoo Artist held firm on the lead, winning by a head in 1:49 over Fortify with Mayhem Hanover rallying from second over to take third from Warrawee Vital, who faded from a first-over trip. The time beat the track and Canadian record for a five-eighths track of 1:49.1 set by Betterthancheddar back in 2012 and equaled the all-time record set by Bigtime Ball in 2009.
A stallion by Hes Watching, Tattoo Artist won his fourth race from 12 starts this season and his 17th from 37 overall, earning $1,052,734. The $3.00 winner competes for owners Let It Ride Stables Inc., Frank Cannon, Diamond Creek Racing and J And T Silva Stables LLC.
COSA TV provided live coverage of the Earl Rowe Memorial and the Four-Year-Old Invitational in a special broadcast streamed live, which is available as a replay below.
To view Sunday's complete results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Georgian Downs.