Flamboro Downs kicked off its 2023 Fall Meet with a nine-race card on Sunday, Sept. 3. The season got underway with upset victories in the evening's features bookending the card.
Steadyaswego and Tyler Moore kicked things off in a thriller in filly and mare conditioned company. Starting from post five in the full field of nine, Moore landed mid-pack in the early stages in fourth as Jason Ryan sent 1-9 favourite Storybook Bella to the front through a :27.4 first quarter. Steadyaswego found herself boxed in from fourth as Controlthedistance and Anthony Haughan led the charge first over to engage Storybook Bella at the half in :57.4. The pace picked up as Storybook Bella opened up by two lengths up the backstretch while Steadyaswego found a seem between rivals to begin her charge first-up at three-quarters in 1:26.3.
Steadyaswego thundered into second on the final turn with her sights set on leader Storybook Bella as the duo turned for home. The fillies duelled down the lane where Steadyaswego utilized a :27.2 final brush to nail Storybook Bella by a head on the wire in 1:55. Watch My Honeydrip and Travis Henry rallied to round out the trifecta. Steadyaswego returned $15 for the victory.
Steadyaswego picked up her fourth victory in 12 starts in 2023 for trainer Brittany Kennedy, who co-owns the filly along with Moneyclip Racing and Shawn Bustin. The 1:55 clocking was a lifetime best for the three-year-old daughter of All Bets Off-Flight Of An Angel and pushed her career bankroll to $37,288.
The $9,000 feature for conditioned trotters served as the Sunday night finale, where Run Like Hill delivered the 31-1 upset victory. Driven by Travis Henry, who picked up three victories on the card, Run Like Hill nestled into third off the gate from post five as Esquire and Colin Kelly set the tone through a hot :27 opening quarter. Esquire maintained his lead to the halfway point, reaching that station in :56.4. Henry gave Run Like Hill his cue in the the third quarter, brushing to the lead up the backstretch first-over in 1:26.
Run Like Hill crossed over to the pylons entering the final turn as the favourite, Sea Can, and Scott Young went off-stride briefly following his cover. Run Like Hill turned for home with a four-length advantage, trotting home in :30 to secure the victory by two lengths in 1:56. Sea Can rebounded from the miscue to re-rally for second, while Sicario and Brett MacDonald finished third. Run Like Hill returned $65.80 to his backers at the windows.
Owned and trained by Francis Guillemette, Run Like Hill notched his sixth win in 30 seasonal outings. The 1:56 effort was a new career best for the six-year-old gelded son of Muscle Hill-Smarty Pants who has banked $139,884 for his career.
The fall meet at Flamboro Downs continues on a Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday schedule through the remainder of September, before swapping Tuesdays for Wednesdays in October through the remainder of the meet. The meet comes to a conclusion on Dec. 31. First post throughout the season will be 6:35 p.m. except for Sundays when racing will begin at 6:55 p.m.
To view results for the Sunday card at Flamboro Downs, click the following link: Sunday Results - Flamboro Downs.