The Simcoe Claiming Series for trotters kicked off on Saturday night at Georgian Downs with five $6,000 divisions and both trainer Rene Allard and William Windsor earned a series double
.
Idle Sun N went wire-to-wire to deliver on his pari-mutuel promise in the first split in 2:01 for Allard and co-owner Gilles Fleury of Mascouche, QC.
Allard’s brother, Simon, drove the 13-year-old son of Sondon-Idle Choice to the one and three-quarter length score. Incredible Me (Stephen Byron) and Ima Dream Chaser (Scott Zeron) finished second and third. The win was his second in 10 starts this year.
Caries Credit provided Windsor with his first win of the night in the second division as he advanced to the lead during the opening quarter and kicked away by eight lengths before cruising home for the 1:58.1 victory. Tiger On The Prowl (Dan Clements) narrowed the winner’s margin of victory to two and three-quarter lengths with his second-place effort while Devils Magic (Anthony MacDonald) finished back in third.
Mike Langdon drove the fan favourite for owner Joel Benson of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. It was Caries Credit’s fourth win in 14 starts. The eight-year-old Credit Winner-Carrie Almahurst gelding was claimed for $6,000 by Rod Hughes of Dunsford, ON.
Favourite Hillbilly Rockstar was the Allards' second winner in the series. The four-year-old gelded son of Bands Gold Chip-Shareholder pulled the pocket past the half-mile mark and opened up six and a half lengths on the field to win the third division in 1:58.1. Striking Lightning (Dan Clements) and Baylon De Vie (Scott Zeron) rounded out the top three.
Rene owned the winner of seven races in 28 starts with Sherwin Edwards of Terrebonne, QC, before he was claimed for $7,500 by Yvon Vaillancourt and Hans Mueller of Barrie, ON.
Canbec Dynamo was a gate-to-wire winner in 1:58.1 in the next split for Langdon and Windsor. The 5-1 fourth choice held off a pocket-pulling E L Miss Pom (Simon Allard) by half a length for his second win in nine starts this year. Razzle Royale (Kelly Sheppard) finished over nine lengths back in third.
Windsor co-owns owns the seven-year-old Imperial Angus-Vanity Car gelding with Sherwin Edwards.
The final division went to favourite Filly Hotspur in 1:59 for driver Stephen Byron and trainer Sandra Houghton. The six-year-old daughter of Valley Victor-Gias Performer made a three-wide move at the third interval and sprinted home to prevail by three and three-quarter lengths over Paradise Lane N (Simon Allard) with Andhollypaid (Scott Zeron) almost nine lengths behind in third.
Lance Hall of Campbellville and Aristi Varsakis of Hamilton, ON share ownership of the mare, who picked up her first win of the season in 10 tries.
Simon Allard ended the 12-race program with five driving wins while Langdon had three.
To view Saturday's results, click here.