Driver Gerry Belanger, trainer Wayne Preszcator and the Secret Weapon Stable of Waterloo, Ont. teamed up to sweep both $22,100 City of Greater Sudbury Series eliminations on Saturday night at Sudbury Downs with Gold Cup and Saucer winner Part Shark and Secret Weapon
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Park Shark made his Sudbury Downs debut a winning one in the first City of Greater Sudbury Series elimination held on Saturday night. Belanger and the even money favourite carved out fractions of :28.4, :58.4 and 1:27.4 en route to a 1:58.1 victory with Panda Bear (James MacDonald) finishing one and three-quarter lengths behind in second and Lookin For A Fight (David Dowling) third.
The four-year-old gelded son of Four Starzzz Shark-Pop Art picked up his ninth win in 25 starts this year and lifted his 2010 earnings over the $100,000 mark.
In the next elimination, Royal Becquet (Mario Rivest) showed the way past opening stations of :29 and 1:01.1 before Belanger sent 3-1 favourite Secret Weapon to the top from fifth. The eight-year-old gelded son of Western Hanover-Falcons Secret reached three-quarters in 1:30.2 and then opened up six and a quarter lengths en route to a 1:59.1 triumph. Mr Coolie (David Dowling) was the runner-up and Rush Rules (Aaron Byron) finished third.
Secret Weapon has won five times in 17 starts this year and has earned $58,335. He finished sixth to Anderlecht in the premiere City Of Greater Sudbury Pace in 2009 and was second in Sudbury's Champion Series Final.
The second annual $75,000 City Of Greater Sudbury Pace is set for next Saturday, October 2 at Sudbury Downs featuring the richest purse ever for a single race at the Chelmsford half-mile track.
To view Saturday’s results, click here.