Youre Welcome scored a tight victory over Hot Fusion in the $7,950 final leg of the Young Women Of Virginia Pacing Series, Saturday night at Colonial Downs
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The series finale featured eight fillies and mares, and was contested at the unique distance of 1-1/4 miles. Ironically, none of Saturday’s top three finishers collected a division win in either of the two preliminary legs.
Youre Welcome, coming off a fifth-place finish, stayed in the top half of the field through the initial four fractions before owner/driver Ron McLenaghan got his pacer into second behind Lovely Magic. His seven-year-old mare got to the front just in time and held off fast closing Hot Fusion at the finish by a neck in 2:25.4.
The series victor, who returned $33.20 to win, is trained by Ron’s daughter Stacey. The McLenaghan family resides in Providence Forge, just several miles from the track itself. The win was Youre Welcome’s second of the year and 26th lifetime score.
Hot Fusion, driven by the hot Chris Page took second and Southern Blue finished third.
Reinsman Chris Page continued his torrid assault of Colonial’s one turn mile oval, reaching the winner's circle five times and adding three runner-up finishes in the evening’s 10 races. The 25-year-old has won 21 races over the last five race days and is the leading driver this fall by far, even after missing the first week of the fall meet.
Colonial Downs presents a 10-race card on Sunday and the third race features drivers 65 years of age and up.
(Colonial Downs)