Hanover Raceway paid tribute to two great horses Saturday night with three $7,500 eliminations for the sixth annual Balanced Image Trot for two-year-olds and a $9,000 Preferred Pace dedicated to A Worthy Lad
.
In the first Balanced Image Trot elim, Talbot Zack Attack got off the gate first and hit the quarter pole on the front in :30-seconds flat. Driven by Stephen Byron for owners Parkhill Stud Farm, Gord Mason of Orangeville, Harry Locke of Oshawa, and William White of Peterborough, the two-year-old son of Striking Sahbra-Flirting Lavec never had a challenger until the stretch past the half in 1:01 and the three-quarters in 1:32.1. Starlightstarbright, owned and trained by Shannon and Trevor Henry, made things close at the wire losing by just a head in 2:04.2. Easy Els (Torgeir Hagmann) finished eight lengths back in third.
In the second elimination, there was a battle for the lead between Traverse Seelster and driver Ross Battin, The Odessa Man (Stephen Byron), and Clear Favorite (Fred Jamieson). Traverse Seelster led at the quarter in :29.4, but The Odessa Man took control at the half in 1:00.3. Byron kept the lead until Clear Favorite broke at the three-quarters and then Traverse Seelster squeezed out the victory by a half-length in the night's fastest time 2:01.2, which established a new track record for two-year-old geldings. The time lowered Catch My Korvette's mark by two-fifths of a second. Abes My Uncle (Bruce Richardson) rounded out the top three.
In the third and final elim, My Whispering Eye, who supplemented into the race, grabbed the lead for driver and trainer James MacDonald hitting the quarter in :29.4 and the half in 1:03. The pressure started to come and the 4-5 favourite was passed at the three-quarters by Herecomesthecheif in 1:33.4. Then there was a four-wide move by Im Blazing Duke, who passed them all winning the race in 2:04.3 for driver Gord Rayner.
The son of Duke Of York is trained by Wayne Langille and owned by Lorena Chapple of Harley, ON. Son Bev Chapple said he was surprised at his two-year-old’s performance considering it was only his fourth start of his career, but was extremely happy to make the final.
The post position draw was conducted after the eliminations and is as follows.
1. Talbot Zack Attack
2. The Odessa Man
3. Here comes the cheif
4. Im Blazing Duke
5. PC La Mousse
6. Starlightstarbright
7. Traverse Seelster
8. Abes My Uncle
AE1. Easy Els
AE2. Anotherdayinthered
Hanover Raceway paid tribute to A Worthy Lad with a Preferred Trot in Race 10, which was won by Dutchess Seelster in 1:58.2.
Trainer Susie Kerwood says she enjoys beating the boys just like her four-year-old daughter of Duke Of York did in the Walker Memorial Trot two weeks earlier. It was the mare’s fifth win of the season and her season best time.
The first 100 fans received a commemorative A Worthy Lad glass, and Hall of Fame trainer and driver Bud Fritz helped with the blanket presentation.
Afterwards, Fritz said 1989 and 1990 were two great years in his life, as he had two of Ontario’s best horses in his barn in A Worthy Lad and Apaches Fame. Fritz was asked for a highlight with A Worthy Lad, and he responded every race was a highlight with that horse. A Worthy Lad won all 30 races he started as a two and three-year-old in Ontario for a total of almost $450,000 dollars earned and a lifetime best time of 1:57.3. He was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame just over one week ago.
Hanover Raceway plays host to the Ontario Sires Stakes on Saturday, September 4 as two-year-old colt pacers hit the track. It's also CKNX Night and one lucky race fan will win a 50 inch Panasonic Plasma TV and stand worth $1,500 courtesy of CKNX and Modern Appliances of Hanover. Post time Saturday night is 7:15 p.m.
To view Saturday's results, click here.
(With files from Hanover Raceway)