Manitoba Great Western Harness Racing Circuit action was washed out this past Saturday (July 23) at Miami, so the two scheduled stakes races were raced as non-wagering events prior to Sunday’s pari-mutuel program. A total of nine three-year-old pacers were split into two divisions of the Manitoba Standardbred Sires & Breeders Association Futurity.
The first $5,153 division was captured by Als Happy Baylor and his trainer/driver, Marc Fillion. The duo started from Post 3 in the four-horse battle. They sat third through the :32.1 opening quarter and remained in that position through to the 1:06.1 half-mile call.
Als Happy Baylor was first-up in the third quarter, but suffered interference during the panel, and was still charted third by the time the three-quarters of a mile clock was clicked off in 1:39. Given that, the pair was the first to the top of the stretch, and came home with a :31.3 closing quarter. Als Happy Baylor posted a two-length margin of victory in the 2:11.2 mile for owner Allan Drader (of Brookdale, Manitoba).
The bay Armbro Baylor gelding has now won two of his four races this season, after having gone winless last year at two. The 2:11.2 mile went down as a new lifetime mark for Als Happy Baylor, who has now raced to $5,311 in purses during his career.
The second $5,153 division saw fellow Armbro Baylor colt Baylor Out suffer early interference in his five-horse test, but come back to romp by 17 lengths in 2:07.3. The performance gave sire Armbro Baylor and trainer/driver Marc Fillion a sweep of Sunday’s MSSBA divisions.
Baylor Out started from Post 4, was interfered with before the opening quarter (:29.1), and was racing on the outside by the time the opening half-mile timer froze at 1:01.1. The colt was on top by four lengths at the three-quarters pole (1:33.2) and was in the lead by 13 lengths at the head of the stretch. Baylor Out paced a :34.1 final quarter to get the job done for Filion, who also owns the bay.
Baylor Out has now won four of his eight career starts and has banked $6,520 in career purses. Sunday’s win time of 2:07.3 went down as a new life’s mark for the colt.
To view the harness racing results for Sunday’s non-wagering stakes at Miami, click the following link: Sunday Results – Miami (non-wagering).
Miami’s regularly-scheduled wagering card followed the aforementioned stakes races, as a 12-dash card featured a $1,750 Fillies and Mares Open (won by Gold Star Sonata [$3.90] in 2:04.3) and a $1,750 Preferred (won by Ideal Cash [$10.80] in 2:04.2).
To view the harness racing results for Sunday at Miami, click the following link: Sunday Results – Miami.