The $500 Leamington Raceway Youth Handicapping Challenge is all tied up after day one, as Nathan Bain and Nicholas Barnsdale both tallied an impressive 73 points each out of a possible 105 (which would be a perfect score for sweeping the card).
Scores are based on a 10-5-3 points system for first, second and third, with five extra points awarded for a winning 'best bet.'
On an afternoon where favourites ruled, Bain and Barnsdale shared common winners in races 1, 2, 3, 6, 9 and 10 and both scored with their best bets. Bain chose Bet On Brett as his day’s best, and driver Marc St. Louis sent him down the road for a dominant nine-length score in Race 6, a non-winners of $1,500 last three pace. The six-year-old son of Sportswriter returned $2.80 to his backers. Barnsdale’s best bet, Sir Galahad, wired the field in the Preferred 4 Pace in Race 9 and paid back $5.20 for every $2 win ticket.
The Handicapping Challenge, co-sponsored by the Canadian chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association (USHWA) and Hoofbid, will be contested every Sunday to the final day of the Leamington Raceway meet on October 25, with $300 awarded to the winner and $200 to the runner-up.
(USHWA)