Privilege completed a training triple for Truro Raceway's leading conditioner George Rennison on an eventful Sunday, Sept. 22 as the pacer held off the upset-minded Bettor On Than Off in the day's featured finale, the Nova Scotia Stampede Pace.
The race highlighted the day's on-track festivities hosted in partnership with Central Nova Scotia Sports and Entertainment to help to launch the inaugural Nova Scotia Stampede week.
Privilege, the 7-5 favourite in the $2,000 conditioned-optional claiming pace, crossed in front of his stablemate Ubettimagoodone (Neldie MacDonald) and led the field that was scratched down to seven through fractions of :28.1, :58.1 and 1:27.3. But company was coming to make a race of it in the stretch. The longest shot on the board at odds of 20-1, Bettor On Than Off (James Ramsay Jr.), launched three-wide around the final turn and was closing in quickly, but Privilege held on in the drive to the wire, scoring in 1:57.1 by a quarter of a length to send driver Todd Trites to the winner's circle for the fourth time on Sunday. Fifth Estate (Ernie Laffin) closed on the far outside from the backfield to complete the top three order of finish.
An eight-year-old gelded son of Sunshine Beach with 31 career victories, Privilege has won two of his last three starts at Truro for owners Rennison Racing and Robert Tait. He paid $4.80 to win.
Rennison also had wins with rookie pacer DJ Cowboy ($7) and the seven-year-old mare Top Of Her Trade ($2.30) -- both driven by the hot-handed Trites -- during the nine-race card. The Truro horseman has campaigned the winners of 37 races this year and has topped the six-figure earnings mark for the second time in his career. He's recorded 20 of those wins at Truro Raceway and currently holds a six-win lead over Darren Crowe atop the local trainer standings.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Truro Raceway.
(Standardbred Canada)