Sports Column and driver Paul MacKenzie shot through the passing lane to prevail in a close finish that saw the entire Preferred 2 field spread across the wire in Sunday night's featured $11,500 pace at Flamboro Downs.
Even-money favourite Champagne Phil got the first call leaving out from post five, but was three-wide into the first turn and settled back into third as insiders Sports Column and J Js Delivery forged ahead.
J Js Delivery cleared to command ahead of Sports Column during the :27 opening quarter and proceeded to front the field through the half in :55.2 and three-quarters in 1:23.2. Meanwhile, Champagne Phil was flushed out at the midway mark and began to advance up to second-place with Imsporty picking up the cover.
Champagne Phil continued to close in on the leader down the stretch, with Sports Column taking the inside route and the rest of the field fanning across the track. In the end, Sports Column edged out London Seelster in 1:53 flat, with J Js Delivery and Champagne Phil finishing third and fourth, respectively. Boomboom Ballykeel and Imsporty completed the line-up. All six horses were within two lengths.
Sent postward at odds of 7-1, Sports Column returned $16.70 to win. The victory was his second this season following another narrow score in the same class at Grand River Raceway three starts back at the end of July. While he has qualified at Flamboro Downs in the past, this was his first pari-mutuel start over the Dundas half-mile track.
Blake MacIntosh trains and co-owns the four-year-old son of Sportswriter who has accumulated $469,365 in career earnings. He shares ownership with Hutt Racing Stable and Daniel Plouffe.
Also making his Flamboro Downs debut, Scouts Report ($12.70) looped favourite Artofficial Flavor early on and held off that rival's passing lane plunge to win the $8,500 Preferred 3 by a neck in 1:53.1 with Doug Brown in the bike. Audreys Dream challenged first-over and finished a length and a half back in third. The winning sophomore son of Bettors Delight is trained by Eric Adams for Millar Farms.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Flamboro Downs.