Best Bet – (6) ENCHANTED MISSION – Race 4
Spot Play – (8) STONEBRIDGE REX – Race 9
20-cent Early Pick 5 – Race 1 – 2,4,8/1,2,3/1,4,5/6/1,2,8 = $16.20
20-cent Late Pick 5 – Race 7 – 1,3/1,6/4,6,8/1,2/3,4,5 = $14.40
20-cent Early Pick 4 – Race 3 – 1,4,5/5,6/1,2,8/3,5 = $7.20
20-cent Late Pick 4 – Race 8 – 1,6/4,6,8/1,2/3,4,5 = $7.20
BET WITH HPI
FULL RACE CARD
Race 1 – (2) CABOT TOWER is Paul MacKenzie's lone drive this card; post relief on return from Flamboro, where they launched brave first-over attack on second turn; parked, but just edged out for place in stretch duel; let go at ridiculous 65/1. (8) JAYS N TIGERS hasn't missed a cheque in three previous tries at this track from same post; first to the front last start, settling into pocket under tight hold by Tyler Borth; tipping from third at three-quarters, he stayed parked first-over the rest of the race; note that January 12 field was all male pacers, all but one over three years old. Lightly-raced (4) MIDNIGHT DEBUTANT impressed in January 13 London qualifier, grabbing lead early and holding off a wall of closers in stretch; unraced since November; back on Lasix.
Race 2 – Class/post relief for (3) PETER PAN CAN FLY, Brett MacDonald's first drive of the night; he won half the ten races here Friday, finished second in three more, and off the board in one; stays loyal following impeded second-over Flamboro effort Thursday: a backpedalling Source of Light reversed in his path nearing three-quarters. Maiden victory for (2) CLIKCLAKDWNTHETRAK last Tuesday at Western Fair, with Marc St. Louis Jr.; chart doesn't note she made front on first turn; settled in for perfect pocket ride behind favourite Say It All Sport to three-quarters. (1) NOVEM HANOVER stalked and closed in field's-fastest 30.1 that race; three-wide late and charging hard in pari-mutuel debut.
Race 3 – (4) TWILITE ZONE draws better on return to Western Fair; most recent victory was here October 19, when he and Nat Day wired in a Senior Pace; third-over from second-last behind stalled cover (Woodmere Rollnpop, #7 this race) Thursday at Flamboro; shook loose but ran out of racetrack. (1) UPGRADE VALLEY's last multi-win season was 2018, when he wired or stalked closely to win two pari-mutuel starts and one qualifier at The Raceway; Scott Coulter was aboard for his best 2021 performance, a December 3 last-to-second finish on class jump. Class drop for front-end-loving (5) HIDDEN POTENTIAL; returns to front tier; loses regular driver Tyler Borth to #2 Wilson Wall; most recent victory was gate-to-wire effort for Marc St. Louis Jr. December 20, 2020 in London Nw1500l3cd company.
Race 4 – (6) ENCHANTED MISSION is undefeated for Marc St. Louis Jr. at The Raceway in back-to-back tries from tonight's post; second consecutive start with Lasix. (5) TITANS DREAM debuted for owner/trainer/driver Tyler Borth with a win from post #7 at Sarnia last August; can be vulnerable on front end; beaten 3/2 fave when he last cut mile, outdueled late by (7) FLUFF ME UP here January 3; veteran's last four wins at this track were all lower claiming levels, none from this post.
Race 5 – (8) ETERNAL JEWEL returns to second tier; weather forced cancellation of her race last Monday; class drop for stalker well positioned behind (2) YOOOUKILIS draws well; moves from claiming to conditioned company this race; first up to battle pacesetting Laa Dee Gaa at three-quarters at Flamboro last start. Class-dropping (1) JOONER lands winningest post for Western Fair trotters; successfully stalked from rail for Tyler Borth in most recent victory at this track, March 30; his clean lines are a big advantage in tonight's field. (5) ZORGWIJK TIM qualified against pacers January 13, staying flat to finish fifth of six; trotting-hobbled closer actually posted field's-fastest (30.1) last quarter that day; headstrong break before start in last pari-mutuel outing for Lorne House. (4) THOR SEELSTER hasn't missed cheque since December 6; minor shares.
Race 6 – (3) ALL THE TRIMMINS disappointed as a post #7 London Spot Play January 14, when he missed the gate and broke leaving; drew inside and redeemed himself at Flamboro Saturday; second-over from second-last on second turn, he was sent three-wide at three-quarters in a bold move that led to place finish behind Run Like Hill. (5) FORTUNE TELLERS K left conditioned for claiming company and cut mile in previous Western Fair start; duelled first up challenger Run Like Hill, giving way at top of stretch; finished with broken equipment. (2) TOP HALL's lone career victory was last June at Grand River, stalking and popping for different driver; closed in field's second-fastest 31.3 with Nat Day at controls January 10.
Race 7 – Class-dropping (3) SEA OF HOPE closed in field's-fastest 29.4 at Flamboro last start, despite overland trip; softened up a pacesetting Skip Across (#7 tonight) in an extended battle December 28, her most recent London visit; it set up for ground-saving late speed from (1) CENTURY HARLOT, a narrow winner that race; she's never missed top-two finish when starting from rail in 2021; second-over voyage from back of the field at the half last Tuesday, following a parked-out (4) BRYDOWN BETTER BEA, who showed stamina and late pace under urging; nearly stung beaten even-money fave Lili GL at wire for place; strong effort.
Race 8 – (6) HOPETOBEFIRST doesn't care about post position; gate speed and Marc St. Louis Jr. suggest he'll make front early and prove tough to catch, again. Deep closer (1) MAINTENANCE MAN moves in from post #7; paced field's-fastest (29 flat) closing quarter last Tuesday, finishing fourth on a particularly speed-favouring night (8 of 10 winners led at every call). (3) GOOD AND SWEET hasn't missed top two since O'Brien Future Star finalist Kyle Bossence took over training duties; second on class jump last Tuesday, with conservative pocket ride; faces tough field where battle for early lead is sure to take some less-cautiously handled rivals out of contention.
Race 9 – Class-dropping (8) STONEBRIDGE REX is lone Richard Moreau horse entered here tonight; has never competed on a half-mile track before; Brett MacDonald catch drives front-end-loving gelding who led the way until deep stretch in latest (January 15) at Mohawk; gate speed from trailing post means following one of several likely leavers who drew inside. Beaten 2/1 fave (6) IDEAL PERCEPTION held on for place last Wednesday; pocket trip as Night Watchman led through fastest win on any Canadian half-mile track this year; his three 2021 wins on halfs were all front-end trips from posts statistically-better than tonight's. (4) JEWELS DRAGON wired from rail in this track's Preferred-2 two starts ago; gapped early from outside post; covered up at the half, he closed well through 29.4 last quarter; only Night Watchman came home faster.
Race 10 – (1) MILLENIUM SEELSTER had the rail exactly once in 2021; he and Scott Wray wired Leamington Nw3750l3cd pacers in a 1:56 flat; dangerous from rail after being boxed in fourth at the half last week, in a race where Livin Large towered above competition. Free-legged (2) LAST MACH finds class/post relief in his Western Fair return; wired for Aaron Byron here three starts ago; four of his six 2021 victories were at this track, two on class drop from other venues. (8) HIGH FLYIN JAMIE also earned his first win last year at Western Fair, duelling to a first-over 19/1 upset March 23, in line to Scott Wray (who drives this race's top-choice selection); second tier for class-dropper back after recent tough draws at Mohawk.
Race 11 – Class-dropper (4) KENNY JOE was caught behind fading cover last Tuesday; caught three-wide at three-quarters, he circled them but ran out of steam in stretch drive; he has added-distance history: January 17, 2020, he was a front-end winner at London Nw2000l3cd level, coming back to finish fourth at same distance on class jump a week later. (3) LIVIN LARGE wired last Tuesday at mile; overland trip in latest added-distance effort was at Preferred-3 classification, from second tier; great current form. (5) THE LOAN RANGER chased top-choice selection home in a gutsy overland effort that race; his most recent victory was at lower classification, for Garrett Rooney, who has opted to live large again tonight; Marc St Louis Jr was in the sulky for this front-end-loving gelding's seasonal-best 1:53 romp at Sarnia last August. Post hurts (7) BET ON BRETT, who closed (from trailing post) in co-field's-fastest clocking in last Tuesday's mile-and-a-sixteenth event; sixth from post #5 in March 24 edition for driver without Mark Goddard's current stats. (1) ARTISTIC PICK missed board but got cheque in two added-distances here in early 2021; post relief and latest catch driver make win-averse pacer Hi-5-worthy.
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Melissa Keith is a lifelong harness handicapper/bettor, Hervey/O'Brien Media Excellence Award-winning writer, and occasional racecaller. She is a contributor to TROT, Hoof Beats, Atlantic Post Calls, and Harness Racing Update, often covering topics related to wagering. Her most memorable bets include taking down the Truro Raceway Pick-7 pool for a $36 investment (it has not been offered since) and collecting $1,287 for a Woodbine Harness Pick-4, which cost $1.60.
Photo by Ryan Clements
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