After settling for second in the fastest Snowshoe Stakes elimination just a half-length behind Hamlin Hanover, Premier Intel would not be outdone in the $60,000 final Friday at Woodbine Racetrack as he kicked away to a four length victory
.
Playing Solitaire (Mario Baillargeon) fired off the gate from the outside Post 10 and settled on top during a :27.4 first quarter ahead of elimination winner The Platinum Guy (Mark MacDonald) while a parked out Web Cam (Sylvain Filion) in third got a little rough-gaited and began to bear out around the turn.
As The Platinum Guy pulled the pocket and began to advance to the lead, Web Cam came on three-wide and took over before hitting the half in :56.1. His lead was short-lived though as Playing Solitaire moved back out for the re-take while Cheyenne Oxe (Mike Saftic) applied pressure past three-quarters in 1:24.1. Meanwhile, race favourite Hamlin Hanover (Randy Waples) made a costly break in stride from off the pace.
Down the stretch, Cheyenne Oxe took it to Playing Solitaire but it was Premier Intel and driver Rick Zeron, who sat mid-pack for most of the mile, rallying off cover to sweep past them both and open up a four length lead on the field before stopping the clock in 1:53.2. Best Toy (Chris Christoforou) came on for second while Web Cam prevailed in a three-horse photo for show.
Premier Intel paid $9.90 to win as the 7-2 second choice. The three-year-old gelded son of Camluck-Intwine picked up his second win in nine career starts and lifted his bankroll to $50,313 for trainer Jim Ainsworth and owner-breeder Premier And Associates Fa of Howell, Michigan.
In this week’s edition of the $38,000 Fillies & Mares Open Pace, Run On Luck went wire-to-wire holding off a pair of late charges from O’Brien Award finalist A Ps Money Maker and Warrawee Koine.
Driver Mark MacDonald sent Run On Luck to the lead from the outside Post 6 ahead of Warrawee Koine (Randy Waples) and A Ps Money Maker (Rick Zeron). The Casie Coleman trainee charged to the first quarter mark in :27-seconds while Warrawee Koine decided against an early move from the pocket.
As Run On Luck led the field of six past the next marker of :55.2, Arts Diva (Paul MacDonell) launched a first over attack and flushed Warrawee Koine out of the two-hole as they moved towards three-quarters in 1:23.2.
Warrawee Koine began to close in on the leader while A Ps Money Maker angled off the rail and came charging up on the outside, but Run On Luck held on by half a length to make her 2011 debut a winning one in 1:51.3. A Ps Money Maker edged out Warrawee Koine for second.
Run On Luck paid $20.40 to win as the 9-1 shot in the field. The eight-year-old daughter of Northern luck-Yarmila, a winner of eight races in 30 starts and $164,280 last year, is owned by Casie Coleman Stables Inc. of Cambridge, Ont., J. Robert Darrow of Dublin and Ron Broadstone of Columbus, Ohio. The victory was Run On Luck’s 32nd of her career and pushed her earnings to $324,395.
To view Friday’s results, click here.