Longest shot on the board Kwik Talkin ripped around the field to take the $13,000 Horses & Geldings Preferred 2 Pace on Tuesday (Aug. 31) at Georgian Downs.
Favourite Moneyman Hill took the lead to a :27.1 first quarter with Statement Made A settling into the pocket and Pedro Hanover into third. Driver Travis Henry landed Kwik Talkin in fourth and remained at the pegs past a :56.2 half until Pedro Hanover angled first-over. Henry caught cover from Pedro Hanover into the backside as that one braved the third-quarter acceleration to a 1:23.4 three-quarters, and Henry soon abandoned his cover and kicked Kwik Talkin off the helmet. Off the final turn, Kwik Talkin surged for the lead and snagged it by a length at the end of a 1:52.4 mile while holding off rallying Pretty Handsome in second. Moneyman Hill faded to third.
A six-year-old stallion by Well Said, Kwik Talkin won his third race from nine starts this season and his 16th from 67 overall, pushing his earnings to $225,073. Amanda Fine trains the $17.30 winner for owners Scott & Lisa Henry.
The Prospect Series continued for two-year-old pacing fillies with the Henry-driven Shezis A Beauty ($3) fashioning a front-end score in the $7,500 fourth leg division in 1:56.1 by 4-3/4 lengths. Million Angels followed in second while Sauble Amber closed for third. Gerard Demers trains the Sportswriter-Keystone Eliza filly, who broke her maiden in her sixth career start, for owners Les Ecuries Gld Inc., and Jean Roch Marois.
Georgian Downs’ 2021 meet concluded this evening and featured the Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society’s (OSAS) 25th anniversary race in the sixth, which was narrowly captured by Century Hefner and Brett MacDonald.
Speed Limit set the tempo of :27.4, :57.1 and 1:25.2 and fought off one challenger but lost by a whisker at the wire as Century Hefner got up to win by a nose in 1:55.2. Hardy Mill Joe was third. The time represents a new life mark for the three-year-old son of Sunshine Beach owned by Paul Ritchie of Mono, Ontario and trained by Jim Ritchie. This was his second lifetime win in 10 attempts.
Making tonight’s winner's circle presentation were Susan and Bert Mollica, whose farm is one of OSAS’s main foster farms. They were accompanied by their son Christopher who shows his Standardbred mare Eight Of Hearts and is an avid fan of racing at Georgian.
Each Ontario racetrack is hosting a race in honour of OSAS’s 25th anniversary in 2021. Next up is Hiawatha Horse Park on Saturday, Sept. 4.
To view Tuesday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Tuesday Results - Georgian Downs.
(With files from OSAS)