Series action continued for three-year-old pacers at Woodbine Racetrack on Thursday, with colts and geldings sparring in round two of The Diplomat and the fillies going at it in a lone second-leg division of the Princess
.
Heavily backed Arts Ideal Hanover prevailed in his $35,000 division of The Diplomat Series, and he took down a new lifetime mark in the process despite a first-over trip.
Luc Ouellette got away fourth with the son of American Ideal-Arts Lady Diana, who watched Ontheclock Hanover supply the field with an opening quarter clocked in :26.2. He proceeded to lead the group to the half in :55.2 before being pressed to the three-quarter pole in 1:23.4 by Arts Ideal Hanover. Ontheclock Hanover was still on top at the head of the lane, but Arts Ideal Hanover’s :27.2 closing panel was more than enough to earn him the 1:51.3 score by a half-length margin over longshot Retail. Ontheclock Hanover weakened late and wound up finishing third.
“He is a good-gaited horse and a good-mannered horse,” said Ouellette following the win. “He had only five lifetime starts (before the second leg) so he is still a green horse. You could see by looking at his lines, he had been going a lot in the first quarters and halves. We tried it the other way tonight, and I think it worked out well.”
Jim Takter trains the gelding for Christina Takter, Brixton Medical Ab along with the partnership of Mkatz Alibfeld Sgoldband. Unraced as a rookie, Arts Ideal Hanover has made six starts this season while assembling a 2-2-1 record along the way. The lion’s share of the purse lifted his lifetime earnings to $33,585.
Despite a miscue in the first turn, State Treasurer rallied to take home top prize in the second division of The Diplomat in a time of 1:52 for driver Jody Jamieson and trainer Dr. Ian Moore.
The son of Real Desire-Ideal Treasure got mixed up in an early battle with One Through Ten before rolling into a sudden break going into the first turn. He quickly reset and tracked One Through Ten past the opening station in :26.4. Race favourite Piston Broke, who was riding a five-race winning streak, sprinted out of the three-hole and cleared to the lead in a matter of strides. He proceeded to chop out middle markers of :56 and 1:24 before fading in the lane. State Treasurer found clearance and uncorked a :27.2 closing panel to win by 1-1/4 lengths over Im The Pied Piper. One Through Ten held on to finish third.
“I grabbed him a little bit to just start going back into the two-hole,” said Jamieson. “It looked like he touched a knee from being doubled up for a step and made a break. He caught back quickly. I really didn’t think he could win after (the break in stride), but in the last turn, I moved him over and he felt awesome so I swung him over three-wide in the stretch and he just paced right through the wire."
Sent off at odds of 7-2, State Treasurer is now 2-for-2 this season after going 1-for-8 in his freshman campaign. Sally MacDonald of Souris, PE and Sophie MacDonald of Regina, SK share ownership on the career winner of $79,136.
In the lone $35,000 division of the Princess Series, Stage It Right survived a first-over trip to win for the second week-in-a-row for trainer Rick Zeron. Scott Zeron mapped out the Thursday evening triumph with the daughter of Artiscape-Whenuwishuponastar after Mario Baillargeon piloted her to her win in last week’s opening round assignment.
Stage It Right got away fourth while Mia Seelster rolled to the lead and hit the quarter pole in :26.2 before giving way to Yagonnakissmeornot. That filly led the group through middle fractions of :55.1 and 1:24.2 while feeling first-over pressure from Stage It Right. Yagonnakissmeornot couldn’t stay with Stage It Right in the late stages when that foe used a :28-second closing quarter to seal the deal by a length in 1:52.3. Yagonnakissmeornot was second best, with race favourite Jet Wash taking home the show dough.
“She is very versatile,” said Scott Zeron. “She is so handy that as a driver you can put her in any spot you want. Tonight that was a really tough trip to come first-up in to big fractions like that, but she just feels like she has no end to her.”
Sent off at odds of 6-1, Stage It Right improved her 2012 record to 5-2-1 in eight tries for partners Richard Lombardo of Solon, OH and Howard Taylor of Philadelphia, PA. The filly, who was unraced as a rookie, has now potted close to $65,000 in lifetime earnings.
The $75,000 finals of The Diplomat and Princess Series are scheduled for Saturday, May 12.
(With quotes from WEG)
To view results for Thursday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Thursday Results – Woodbine Racetrack.