Molson Pace Undercard Full Of Action

An action-packed Molson Pace undercard at Western Fair Raceway featured four City Of London Series finals for both gaits along with a trio of Preferred and Invitational paces to help make up the track's richest card

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The first City Of London Series final for trotting fillies and mares produced a mild upset as fan favourite and pacesetter Rebas Song (Jody Jamieson), who was a runner-up in her two opening legs, made a costly break at the three-quarters handing the lead and essentially the victory over to the pocket-sitting Bank Of Ballykeel and Trevor Henry. The 7-2 second choice held off a late rush from Striking Rose (Ross Battin) to win by a half length in 2:02. My Senorita (Terry Kerr) finished third.

A 30-1 longshot winner in her second leg division of the series, Bank Of Ballykeel is now two-for-three in her career. Cameron McKnight trains the Banker Hall-Frost On The Gate filly for Ballykeel Racing of Tillsonburg, ON. The lion’s share of $46,900 purse gave her bankroll a healthy boost to $27,450.

After winning his first leg division and making a break in second round action, Neversawhimcoming rebounded with a 2:00 victory by 1-1/4 length in the $50,200 City Of London Trotting Series Final for colts and geldings. Stuart Sowerby sent the four-year-old son of Angus Hall-Queen Of Trot first over from third and reined in Indigo Hall (Scott Zeron), who jumped out to an early 4-1/2 length lead. The 4-1 fourth choice wore down the leader in the stretch with K H Carlton (Dave Wall) closing well for second.

Neversawhimcoming has won half of her eight starts this year earning $38,175 for trainer Kevin O’Reilly and owners Aristi Varsakis of Grimsby and Lance Hall of Campbellville, ON.

Sent postward as the longest shot on the board at odds of 28-1, Intoanything and Scott Zeron rallied from sixth to grab the City Of London Pacing Series title for fillies and mares in 1:57.4. The daughter of Rambaran-Tristar Valerie watched Jael Seelster (Trevor Henry) set the pace in the $52,600 event before angling widest of all around the final turn and sweeping past the field with a :29.2 final frame to win by 2-1/2. Whats Your Fantasy (Brett Miller) was the runner-up with Jael Seelster finishing third.

Larry Fitzsimmons trains the homebred filly, who picked up her first win in eight starts this season and second lifetime, for owner Steven Colvin of Teeswater, ON. Intoanything’s seasonal earnings jumped to $31,513 with the victory.

Fresh off a win in his second leg division of the City Of London Pacing Series for colts and geldings, Source Of Power survived an overland journey to win the $54,400 final with Brad Forward. Encore Seelster (Scott Coulter) was the early leader with favourite Fresh Herb (Doug McNair) rushing up to take over and lead the rest of the way while 9-2 second choice Source Of Power advanced on the outside. The three-year-old son of Western Terror-Cate The Great wore down the leader in the stretch to prevail in 1:57.1. Encoure Seelster finished one length behind in second while Lawman Reign (Ross Battin) went three-wide at three-quarters and came on to finish third over Fresh Herb.

Travis Alexander trains the winner five races in 10 starts this season and $42,770 for Fiddlers Creek Stables L of West Bloomfield, Michigan.

Following an Ontario Sires Stakes Gold victory with Western Silk, trainer Casie Coleman and driver Mark MacDonald teamed up to capture the $20,000 Invitation Pace with Wholly Louy.

Silent Swing showed early gate speed from Post 3, but made an early break taking himself out of contention. Instead, The Ladies Man (Scott Coulter) moved up to take control by the :26.4 opening quarter with Greystone Cash (Anthony Haughan) on the move. As they raced to the half in :54.3, Wholly Louy was out from fourth and the six-year-old son of Camluck-By Desire went wide down the backstretch and was on top just past three-quarters in 1:24. Using a :28.4 final quarter, the 2-1 second choice drew away by four lengths to score in 1:52.4. Royal Morn (Yannick Gingras) came on for second with The Ladies Man finishing third.

Wholly Louy notched his third win of the season in 11 starts and lifted his earnings to $82,000 for owner-breeder Robert Hamather of Exeter, ON. Lifetime, the bay gelding has won 32 times and has banked $592,047.

Co-owned by Casie Coleman, Keepers Destiny and driver Doug McNair, the 8-5 second choice in the $13,000 Preferred Pace for fillies and mares, wrestled the lead away from Bath Beach (Robert Sparling Jr.) during a brisk :26.4 opening quarter and kept first over challenger and favourite Sammy Syd (Mike Whelan) at bay en route to a two length score. The four-year-old homebred daughter of Intrepid Seelster-Keeper Flying stopped the clock in 1:55.1 in winning for the third time this year in 12 outings. Phil Coleman trains Keepers Destiny, who has earned nearly $50,000 this season. Merlin Howse of Langton, ON also shares ownership.

After finishing third in his sophomore debut two weeks ago in Flamboro Downs’ Bud Light Stake, Future Million turned in a winning performance in the $12,500 Preferred 2 Pace and just missed equaling a track record. Jody Jamieson was in the bike for the win, sweeping the early Daily Double.

Sent postward as the 2-1 second choice, Future Million went first over from fourth after the :27.3 opening quarter and battled with the pacesetter and 4-5 favourite Acceptable Risk (Trevor Henry) past the :57.2 half and three-quarters in 1:25.1 en route to a one length victory in a career-best clocking of 1:53.3. The time of the mile was two-fifths of a second off the track record for three-year-old colts co-held by the ill-fated Stormaway, last year’s Molson Pace winner, and Wholly Louy.

Future Million is owned by trainer Donald and Kerry Lowes of Princeton, ON. The son of Million Dollar Cam-Future Champion, won three of his 11 starts at two and banked $206,947.

For a recap of the $312,000 Molson Pace, click here.

To view Friday's results, click here.

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