Race-favourite Awsomedabra faced no challengers when most of the field failed to keep up with the pacesetter as he progressed to a 2:03.4 victory, the fastest of the three $5,000 Balanced Image eliminations on Saturday, Aug. 17 at Hanover Raceway.
The two-year-old Kadabra gelding inherited the top when pylon-starter Annual Royalty went on a gallop heading to the first turn. Awsomedabra led Golden Gavel to a :30.4 opening quarter and past a 1:02.3 half, where You Go and Talahasse Seelster went off stride. Chocolate Pie moved into third and gave pursuit to the top two heading towards three-quarters in 1:33 but then went off stride around the final turn. Awsomedabra coasted through the stretch to finish one-and-three-quarter lengths better than Golden Gavel while Chocolate Pie finished third six lengths farther back.
Owned and trained by Gary Lance, Awsomedabra won his first race from four starts, earning $15,406. Stephen Byron drove the $5.90 winner.
Royaltys Odyssey delivered as the odds-on choice in the opening division by grinding first over to a 2:04.4 victory.
Seven Credits cleared to the front before a :30.4 opening quarter while driver Dale Fritz had Royaltys Odyssey positioned fourth. Fritz then tipped the Royalty For Life gelding from the pegs approaching a 1:30.2 half and advanced towards the leader with Aphrodite Duke riding cover. Royaltys Odyssey loomed to within a length of the lead past three-quarters in 1:34 and edged to a one-and-a-half length victory with Aphrodite Duke giving pursuit from second. Haven Seelster, riding the pocket, finished five lengths back in third.
Co-owned by trainer Carl Jamieson with Joanne Morrison, Royaltys Odyssey won his second race from three starts, earning $14,425. He paid $3.90 to win.
In the final elimination race-favourite Tuckers Out made a break at the start, giving a head start to Lifeisgood Hanover as the Royalty For Life gelding slid to a 2:06.4 win.
Aussie Lover led the field to a :32.4 opening quarter while trainer-driver Shawn Steacy had Lifeisgood Hanver positioned fourth. Marbellos pulled first over from third approaching a 1:05.4 half with Steacy catching the cover briefly before getting stuck first over on the second circuit. Lifeisgood Hanover ventured forward moving to three-quarters in 1:36.2 and took over control through the stretch to win by one-and-three-quarter lengths. Tuckers Out recovered from his early break to take third.
Owned by David Reid, Stephen Klunowski and Claus Jorgensen, Lifeisgood Hanover won his first race from four starts this season, earning $14,162. He paid $4.90 to win.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Hanover Raceway.