Windsun Callum and Ruthless Ace each captured their respective $12,000 division in the opening leg of Georgian Downs' Kempenfelt Pacing Series on Saturday night.
In the first division, Windsun Callum and Steve Byron received a pocket trip behind favoured Mach It Paid (J.R. Plante), who cut torrid fractions of :26.3, :54.1 and 1:21.4 before starting to falter. Byron had his charge out from the pocket at the third station and paced home in :28.1 to trip the timer in a lifetime best 1:50.1 over Royal Becquet (Simon Allard) and Jakes Buddy (Paul MacKenzie).
Windsun Callum (Cams Card Shark-Star Magic) is trained by Bruce MacDonald for owner Mardon Stables of Loretto, Ont.
In the second division, Ruthless Ace and driver Mike Langdon pounced on pacesetter Ghost Hunter at the wire to score the 1:52.1 victory for owner-trainer-breeder Paul Simmons of Courtice, Ont.
While Aaron Byron placed public choice Ghost Hunter on the engine through splits of :26.4, 55.4, and 1:23.2, Langdon had his horse second over heading for home and a :27.4 closer was enough for Ruthless Ace (Aces N Sevens – Ruthless Liz) to defeat Ghost Hunter by a neck, with Totally Excellent (Mike Horner) in the show spot.
The second leg of the Kempenfelt Pacing Series, for horses that are non-winners of $100,000 as of May 1, 2008, will take place next Saturday with the $65,000 (est.) final slated for Saturday, July 19.
For the lines from Georgian's Saturday card, click here.