Anderlecht and driver Jody Jamieson pulled off a mild 6-1 upset in track record time during the inaugural edition of the $60,000 City Of Greater Sudbury Invitation Pace
on Wednesday at Sudbury Downs.
Favourite Raw Energy (Dan Clements) fired off the gate from the two-hole as Anderlecht got away fifth from a Post 7 start. Raw Energy sped past intervals of :27.4 and :57.2 as Deuces And Jacks (Paul MacLean) moved first-up from fourth providing Anderlecht with cover. By the 1:25.4 three-quarter marker Deuces And Jacks had chipped away at the pacesetter’s lead and was half a length behind on the outside, but Anderlecht kicked into action at that point and powered home in :28 seconds to prevail in 1:54.1. The time of the mile equaled the Chelmsford half-miler’s all-age track record set by Deuces And Jacks on August 8.
Donegal Gerald (Tony Kerwood) finished one length behind in second off a pocket trip and Raw Energy rounded out the top three.
For Anderlecht, a four-year-old son of Cams Card Shark-Princess Chablis, the win was his fifth win of the season and lifted his earnings to $208,470 for trainer Igor Vrablic. Owned by the Black Road Stable of Kitchener and Point Zero Seven Racing of Burlington, Ont., the winner of 11 races lifetime has earned $321,805 to date.
A $15,000 Preferred Pace also took place on Wednesday evening and post time favourite Rush Rules did not disappoint his backers. With Jamieson at the lines, the five-year-old altered son of Scooter Scott-Sf Cavalier moved first-up from third after a :28.1 opening panel and advanced through fractions of :57.1 and 1:25.4 before opening up three lengths on the field in the stretch. Rush Rules tripped the teletimer in 1:55 flat while No Competition (David Dowling) finished second and pacesetter Lombo Skyrider A (Don Gillis, Jr.) had to settle for third.
Trained by Rick Shakes for Robert Truman of Harbor Springs, Michigan, Rush Rules scored his fifth win in 16 seasonal starts bringing his earnings to $34,520. The 16-time career winner now sports a bankroll totaling $94,490.
Jamieson, who is currently the leading driver in North America for wins, ended the night with six victories on the 12-race card. He also won the opener with Comprehensive (2:00) for trainer Mike Lamoureux, the fourth race with Bad Noble (1:57.1) for Mike Noble, the 10th race with Righteous Raider (1:58.1) and the 12th race with Cr Daddy O (2:00.3), both for James Stewart.
Jamieson has 498 wins recorded so far in 2009 with over $6.7 million in purse earnings. Lifetime, the resident of Cambridge, Ont. has won 4,774 times earning over $61.1 million.
To view Wednesday’s harness racing results, click here.