The Francis Guillemette-trained gelding The Magic Moment kept his undefeated stakes record intact, winning one of four $8,000 Prospect Series divisions for Ontario-sired sophomore pacers held at Grand River Raceway on Friday, Sept. 19.
Fresh off his victory in the Trophee des Eleveurs championship for Quebec-breds on Sunday at Hippodrome 3R, The Magic Moment ($2.20) returned to Ontario to run his Prospect Series score to three-for-three. The 1-9 favourite landed in third early on but took over command from longshot leader Moonlover Bovino past the midway mark and prevailed by three-quarters of a length in 1:53. Garrett Rooney has driven the Control The Moment-Wind River Cat gelding in all of his Prospect starts.
The Magic Moment, who was also undefeated in all of his Quebec stakes starts with divisional championship titles at both two and three, competes as a homebred for Gestion A&A Belanger Inc., along with partner Cynthia Cote Dupont of Shawinigan, Que.
Guillemette also trains the three-year-old pacing filly division point leader, Justine Ray ($3.10), who pick-pocketed her third Prospect victory by defeating pacesetter Stone Sawyer in a head decision in a career-best 1:53.3 mile. The grey daughter of Shadow Play out of Woes Jet Filly is owned by Michel Letendre of Saint-Jude, Que.
Samuel Fillion drove Justine Ray and doubled up in Friday night's Prospect action with the Dominic Gladu-trained colt Winchester Phoenix ($7.80), who led wire-to-wire in a career-best 1:53.2 for his first score of the season with favoured glamour boy point leader Five Star Lou rallying three-wide on the backside into second but nearly four lengths away at the finish line. The Bettors Delight-Giggle Hanover colt is owned by Francois Dupuis, Les Ecuries Phoenix, Ronald Kelly and Serge Leonard.
The other filly winner was Lydia Go ($11.70), who defeated popular pacesetter Whiskey Blue Chip off a pocket trip by one length in a new lifetime mark of 1:55.2 with Austin Sorrie driving for trainer Joseph MacIsaac. The Dancin Lou-One Over Par filly was also a Prospect winner back in the first leg of the series. She is owned by Peter Smith, Gerald Morrissey and Robert Boyce.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Grand River Raceway.
(Standardbred Canada)