A pair of $15,000 divisions of the third leg of Champion Series highlighted Sudbury Downs' 11-race card on Saturday night along with the Preferred Trot.
Whitesand Noble proved to be the champion of the night after rallying from off the pace to score in the fastest Champion Series split.
The son of Intrepid Seelster got away fourth as Weird Albert (Paul MacLean) posted the opening quarter in :27.4. Jakes Buddy (Dan Megens) removed from the pocket to take the lead before the half, posting panels of :56.1 and 1:25.2.
As the field turned for home, Whitesand Noble and the post time favourite Seawind Gambler (Allan Hohner) battled in the stretch with Whitesand Noble prevailing by a neck in 1:55.2. Jakes Buddy and Thomson Seelster (Gerry Belanger) finished third in a dead-heat.
The four-year-old horse, who is trained by Sophie Carrier for Jocelyne Menard of Chelmsford and Lesley Kennedy of Port Dover, Ont., has made 14 trips to the winner's circle. He sports a bankroll of $96,884 in lifetime earnings.
The Scooter Scott gelding Rush Rules prevailed in the first division for trainer Rick Shakes and owner Robert Truman of Harbor Springs, Michigan. The win was his ninth lifetime score, giving him a total of $39,422 in career earnings.
Driven by Michael MacNeill, the four-year-old pacer was fourth on the outside as the field approached the first quarter pole in :29.1. He advanced to the lead ahead of the early pacesetter Western Wiggles (Paul MacLean) through the :58.4. half, posting the third quarter mark in 1:28. Rush Rules paced on for the win in 1:56.3 by three-quarters of a length.
Themsfightinwords (Jay Polifroni) was second with Otto B Ono Beach (Howard Lewis) finishing in third.
Delivering on his pari-mutuel promise as the betting favourite, Donald Rankin scored his third consecutive victory in the $9,000 Preferred Trot.
The son of Conway Hall took command of the field posting fractions of :29.4, 1:00.1 and 1:30.2 en route to victory in 2:00.
Check Le Look (David Dowling) finished two lengths back in second with True High Voltage (Scott Altizer) taking the show spot.
The eight-year-old gelding was driven to victory by owner Paul MacLean of Chelmsford, Ont. France MacLean handles the training duties. Donald Rankin now has 22 lifetime wins and a bankroll totaling $216,085.
To view the charted lines from Saturday, click here.