The Saugeen Claiming Series concluded on Saturday night at Hanover Raceway with a pair of finals for both sexes. The top eight money earners in each series advanced to the finals, which produced a pair of tight finishes
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Looks R Deceiving overcame a Post 8 start and a first over journey to win the $24,200 Saugeen Claiming Series final for colts and geldings for driver Bruce Richardson and trainer Larry Fitzsimmons. The four-year-old son of Modern Art-Magic Combination advanced from third and applied pressure to pacesetter Lauriesace (Travis Bowman), a second leg winner, before wearing him down for the 1:59.2 quarter length victory. Favourite Franky B Skipalong (Mark Etsell), who was looking for a series sweep, rallied wide from the backfield to show.
Looks R Deceiving paid $10.40 to win as the 4-1 fourth choice. The gelding now boasts six wins, 17 seconds and three thirds on his 49-race record with earnings totalling $52,057. F. Dean Esham of Frankford, Delaware owns the pacer, who finished second and third in the preliminary legs of the series.
Driven by Thomas Smith, Angels First Cammi wore down pacesetter Lexis Mandy (James Tropea) and held off favourite Modern Star (Travis Henry), both second leg winners, to win the $25,820 Saugeen Claiming Series final for fillies and mares. The five-year-old Cammibest-Hidden Angel mare, trained by Jayne Walker, converted from the pocket to prevail in 1:58.3 by a quarter length over Lexis Mandy while Modern Star finished right there in third.
Angels First Cammi, a second leg winner herself, returned $11 to her backers as the 9-2 third choice. The victory was her seventh in 42 career starts and helped boost her bankroll to $52,338 for owner-breeder Homer Martin of Elmira, Ont.
As one claiming series ended, another began. The Hanover Claiming Series for fillies and mare pacers racing for a $5,000 price tag featured two divisions.
Miss Kaylee Em and Bruce Richardson went wire-to-wire to win the first split in 1:58.3 by over six lengths. Greystone Fantasy also wired the field, teaming up with driver Stuart Sowerby in the second division for the 1:58 score.
Afterwards, it was the miniature horses that stole the show, endearing themselves to the crowd as they sprinted a quarter mile. John Gordon drove Luke to victory in the annual Hanover Raceway mini-horse race.
For results from Saturday’s harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results – Hanover Raceway.
(With files from Hanover Raceway)