It's not every night that a pair of brothers nearly dead-heat in a race with a pair of sisters. But that's exactly what happened on Friday, Sept. 1 at Kawartha Downs.
In the evening's eighth race, brothers Doug and Carman Hie almost hit the wire together while driving siblings. Wildcat Lisa — trained and driven by 72-year-old Doug — was a nose better than four-year-old sibling Pop The Bubbly — trained by Doug and driven by 79-year-old Carman — in a 1:59 mile.
Both Wildcat Lisa (Betterthancheddar - Armbro Champagne) and Pop The Bubbly (So Surreal - Armbro Champagne) were bred and are owned by Carolyn Jarrell of Roslin, Ont. The younger Hie also holds ownership papers on the winner.
Kawartha Downs also hosted a trio of Ontario Prospect Series divisions for three-year-old pacers on Friday, Sept. 1 with lifetime bests the order of the night.
Out from before the half, Brynley Seelster and driver Jason Ryan tracked down Charming Vixen (Reg Gassien) to win the first $8,700 Prospect Series division for three-year-old pacing fillies in a lifetime best 1:55.2. Handbagofcheezies (Nick Boyd) was right behind the front pair in third.
Courtney Bishop of Guelph, Ont. trains and owns Brynley Seelster (Big Jim - Better Than Happy), now a two-time winner from 18 career starts with $55,117 in earnings. She paid $10.60 to win.
Badditude prevailed in the second division, contested for a purse of $8,600 and scratched down to a field of four. Gassien was all gas and no brakes with Badditude, a wire-to-wire winner in 1:54.4 to earn a new speed badge. Favoured Powder Play (Anthony Haughan) just missed by a head with Miss Dew Write (Ryan Guy) two length back in the show spot.
Owned by Michel Letarte of Boucherville, Que. and Louis-Philippe Roy of Campbellville, Ont., Badditude (Artspeak - A And Gs Delight) picked up her fifth win of the season and seventh lifetime for earnings of $37,721 in her 31-start career. Brett Lester trains the filly, who paid $6.80 to win.
There was a single division carded for sophomore pacing colts, with It Takes Two ($6.70) impressing after a first-over grinding score in 1:54.3.
Lorne House had It Takes Two away sixth and last early, then forged first up starting in front of the grandstand around the three-eighths mark. After a :57 half and 1:25.3 third station, It Takes Two finally got past Parsons (Isaac Waxman) at the head of the stretch and pulled away for the 1-1/2 length decision. Favoured Cold Creek Guerero (Brad Rae) completed the top trio.
Scott McNiven conditions It Takes Two (Artspeak - Shellace), now a six-time winner this season and lifetime, for breeder-owners Kim McNiven of Putnam, Ont. and Donald Douglas of Ingersoll, Ont. The colt pushed his earnings over the $50,000 mark with the win.
To view the results from the Friday card of harness racing at Grand River, click the following link: Friday Results - Kawartha Downs.