The Labatts Claiming Series kicked off on Friday night at Georgian Downs with Pinacle Of Success and Duke Of Wellington winning their respective $8,000 divisions
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In the first division of the series for trotters who are non-winners of $30,000 lifetime as of August 15, 2009, Pinacle Of Success left alertly from the rail with Dan Clements and put up panels of :28.2, :59 and 1:28.4 before kicking away by four lengths to seal the deal. The four-year-old gelded son of Muscles Yankee-Primacy gave Clements a driving hat trick on the night with his career-best 1:59 score.
K D Dream (Yvan Leonard) was second best off a pocket trip and Censored (Stephen Byron) finished back in third.
Wilbert Weatherall owns and trains Pinacle Of Success, who notched his second win of the season in six starts tonight.
In the second split, Larry Walker's Duke Of Wellington got away fourth from Post 2 as Skylars Dream (Mike Langdon) headed to the lead from Post 4 and carved out panels of :28.4, :59 and 1:28.4. Walker gave his charge the signal at the half and the Duke Of York—Armbro Lois four-year-old moved first-up and wore down the pacesetter in late stretch to win by three-quarters of a length in a life’s best clocking of 2:00.1. Burnstown (Mark Etsell) finished third.
In his debut season, Duke Of Wellington, who was claimed by Clements and Guy Beaulieu of Chelmsford, Ont., has won four times in 12 outings.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click here.