This year’s General Brock Trotting Series has certainly shaped up as a wide-open affair taking into account the fact that there have been seven different winners capture divisions in the preliminary legs of the event
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It was a tough night for the favourites in tonight’s second round of the General Brock Trotting Series, which featured a trio of $20,000 divisions for the four-year-old performers.
Standford Bridge pulled off an 87-1 shocker in the opening split for driver Mike Saftic, who engineered the 1:57 decision with the Dennis Rich trainee.
The four-year-old son of Kadabra swept from the backfield and came out on top in what turned out to be a four-horse photo finish. Eventime was second best and Superfast Stuart grabbed the show dough.
Rich co-owns the gelding with partner Frank Cirillo of Kleinburg, ON. The victory was the first of the season and the second lifetime score for Standford Bridge, who upped his lifetime earnings to $27,170 with the win.
Frenchfrysnvinegar front-stepped her way to a 1:56.3 score in the second division for the tandem of driver Luc Ouellette and trainer David Smith.
Ouellette hustled the four-year-old Angus Hall miss through splits of :27, :58 and 1:27.4 before kicking home in :28.4 to post the narrow victory over Southwind Rew. Race favourite Society Kad shook loose in deep stretch to finish third.
Smith shares ownership on the mare with Big Als Stables Inc. of Woodbridge, ON. After making a break and settling for a fifth-place cheque in the opening leg of the series, Frenchfrysnvinegar rebounded to pick up her third win of the season in just seven tries. She has banked $107,130 to date.
Despite getting parked beyond the three-eighths marker, World Stage was a big winner in the third division for trainer/driver Jim Ritchie.
The four-year-old son of Self Possessed was parked past the quarter pole in :27.3 before working his way to the top in the backstretch. He proceeded to chop out middle splits of :57.4 and 1:28.3 before kicking out a :28.4 final quarter en route to the 1:57.2 victory over Celebrity Shark and Chi Chi Chip.
Terry Taylor and Robert Rombough share ownership on the gelding, who is 2-for-6 this season after going 1-for-1 in his three-year-old campaign. The $10,000 payday lifted his bank account to $34,430.
The $56,000 final of the General Brock Trotting Series is schelued for next Thursday evening at Woodbine Racetrack.
To view Thursday’s results, click here.