The Ben Baillargeon-trained Flora Dream made her Georgian Downs’ debut a winning one in the $15,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred Trot on Saturday night
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Bucato (Simon Allard) quickly filled the role as pacesetter after firing off the gate from Post 2. She led the single file field past the opening stations of :27.1 and :56.4 while Flora Dream and driver Scott Coulter watched from fourth. After passing the half-mile marker, Coulter tipped Flora Dream to the outside and flushed Countess Stormont (Jonathan Drury) from the pocket past the 1:25.4 third quarters interval. Countess Stormont swept up to claim the top spot as the field entered the stretch, but Flora Dream had already switched over to high gear and the five-year-old mare used strong strides to prevail in 1:55.3 by a length.
Countess Stormont stayed for second and Desperatehousewife (Todd Ratchford) came on for third.
Flora Dream has raced primarily in Quebec and at Rideau Carleton Raceway over the course of her career. Most recently, the Taurus Dream-Klelia mare made multiple appearances at Mohawk Racetrack before her Georgian debut. The victory was Flora Dream’s third in 13 seasonal starts for owners Leo Tourigny of Becancour, Que. and Lapharmaciedekedgwick Inc. of Kedgwick, N.B. Her 12th career win lifted her bankroll to $191,618.
Later on the card, trainer Rene Allard and his brother, driver Simon Allard, teamed up to score a natural hat trick. The pair won the final three races on the 11-race program with Long Beach Tea (1:56.1), Cowboys Like Us (1:59.4) and Literacy (1:57.2).
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click here.