Pereira Pair Kicks Off Slots Cup Series

Published: May 22, 2012 08:02 pm EDT

Driver Doug McNair and trainer Joe Pereira teamed up to kick off the fifth annual Slots Cup Series with a pair of popular winners on Tuesday at Western Fair Raceway.

Making their London debuts, Mach Three sophomore pacers Machal Angelo and Addwater won the first two $15,000 divisions of the opening leg for the duo while four-year-old Royal Mattjesty gelding Royal Outlook captured the other split for driver Trevor Henry and conditioner Dan Creighton.

Post three starter Machal Angelo ($3.20) took control of the six-horse field in the opener and posted a :27.2 first quarter before being confronted by second choice Talldarknhandsome and Jason Brewer. The first over attacker edged out in front through middle panels of :56.4 and 1:25.1 and nearly cleared, but Machal Angelo put him away into the stretch and held off the pocket-pulling Pisti and Henry for the 1:56.4 half-length victory. Distinctiv Richie, with Ryan Holliday aboard, rallied off second over cover to show.

Addwater ($4.20) was a gate-to-wire winner in the seven-horse second split. The inside starter established the lead off the gate and cruised through fractions of :27.4, :57.4, and 1:26.4 en route to a 1:55.4 score. Longshot Rustlin Cam and Robert Sparling Jr. followed over five lengths behind off a pocket trip while Jettison and Henry came in third.

Both McNair-Pereira winners are owned by The Merks Stable of New York.

Later on the card, Royal Outlook ($2.70) advanced first over from fourth after the :27-second opening quarter and engaged in a back and forth battle for the lead with Life Signature, driven by McNair, through middle panels of :56 and 1:24 before wearing him down and going on to score by two lengths in 1:54.1. Life Signature held second while the Bruce Richardson-driven Windsong Harley finished third in the seven-horse field. Danterra Racing Stable of Strathroy, Ont. owns the London regular, who has yet to miss the board in 15 starts this year (10 wins).

The Slots Cup Series, sponsored by Racetracks of Ontario Marketing & Promotions (ROMP), is for three and four-year-old Ontario sired pacers that are non-winners of $50,000 life as of January 15, 2012. The series will move to Clinton Raceway for the next leg on Sunday, June 17, followed by stops at Georgian Downs, Hanover Raceway, Grand River Raceway and Flamboro Downs this summer before culminating on Sept. 8, 2012 at Hiawatha Horse Park with a $100,000 final.

To view Tuesday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Tuesday Results - Western Fair Raceway.

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