Hillbilly Rockstar stole the spotlight in the $33,000 Simcoe Claiming Series Final on Saturday night at Georgian Downs as he pulled off an 8-1 upset
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Leaving from the rail position, Canbec Dynamo (Mike Langdon) led the field of the top nine money earners in the series past opening fractions of :28 and :58.3 with Post 2 starter Hillbilly Rockstar and driver Denis St. Pierre sitting in third.
St. Pierre sent his mount after the early pacesetter as they raced past the half-mile marker and he took command before hitting three-quarters in 1:27.4. The four-year-old gelding then sprinted away by three and a half lengths to prevail in 1:58. Caries Credit (Stephen Byron) followed his cover to finish second and Paradise Lane N (J.R. Plante), part of the popular Rene Allard three-horse entry, rounded out the top three.
Hillbilly Rockstar paid $18.80 to win as the 8-1 fourth choice. The victory was his eighth in 30 starts this year and lifted his 2010 earnings to $52,583. Trainer Corey Johnson claimed the son of Bands Gold Chip-Shareholder for $9,000 in the second leg of the series.
In other action, favourite Chinnys Wings ($4.90) front-stepped his way to a 1:57.2 victory in Saturday’s $14,000 Preferred 2 Trot for driver Paul MacKenzie and trainer Doug Bowins, who shares ownership with Donald Brinkman of East Coulee, Alta. The Armbro Ricochet-I Quiver Not gelding has won six times in 16 starts during his five-year-old campaign while earning $52,925. Pocket-sitter Logan Aas (Scott Coulter) finished a half-length behind in second and Aloft (Stephen Byron) finished third.
To view Saturday's results, click here.