Spot Play – (3) GROOGRUX KING – Race 6
Best Bet – (2) COCO BEACH DE VIE – Race 4
20-cent Early Pick 5 – Race 1 – 4,8/1,2,5,7/1,5/2/2,3,5,8 = $12.80
20-cent Early Pick 5 - Race 6 – 1,3/2,6/4/2,6/2,3,5 = $4.80
20-cent Early Pick 4 – Race 3 –1,5/2/2,3,5,8/1,3 = $3.20
20-cent Late Pick 4 - Race 7 – 2,6/4/2,6/2,3,5 = $2.40
Race 1 – (4) MINETTASFREEFLIGHT has significant driver change for his seasonal debut, picking up new catch driver Doug McNair; while Alberta-bred hasn't raced since his first half-mile track start Dec. 15 at Flamboro 15000clmcd, that start was better than it appears on paper; about 5 lengths behind the gate at the start for former owner/trainer/driver Dan LeBlonc, he caught the field, gapping in seventh on pylons, before closing late into traffic. (8) STEAL THE MOMENT makes 2021 return, from second tier; slated to race Feb. 23, on a night when all Western Fair races were cancelled due to track condition; fourth in Feb. 18 qualifier, behind winner Powerful Chris, fastest-ever female pacer on a Canadian 5/8-mile track; Scott Wray went winless on the last full card at London, but this 4-year-old appears to have an advantage tonight, facing only one other non-maiden, who happens to be the only other older horse (#4 Minettasfreeflight). (3) NICOTIME's back-to-back Mohawk qualifiers for Phillippe Hudon last month suggest this colt is very ready to make first lifetime pari-mutuel start; left well in his Feb. 25 tightener, quickly settling in third but losing contact with leaders as the mile progressed.
Race 2 – (5) CHAPPIESBOY recorded three consecutive victories at Sarnia last summer for Lorne House; his last win was at Flamboro Sept. 13, when he dead-heated with Press Time in a 1:56.4 stalking trip; unraced since Dec. 21, when he faded late after a strong second-over move to three-quarters; class relief. (7) SAM MCKEE HANOVER would need to overcome the toughest post position to get the win; he's dropping down in class from Mohawk tonight, but bear in mind that just 2 of 12 starters from London's outside post have been able to accomplish that in 2021 so far; Scott Coulter catch drives 4-year-old whose lone victory was gate-to-wire in Campbellville Oct. 29; he was at the controls for all of #2 Yannick Seelster's three front-end victories last season. (1) DOC FANELLI is a lightly-raced 4-year-old with some closing ability; helpful post; Colin Kelly is latest catch driver; never found opportune time for early first-over move for Darryl Thiessen Feb. 16, but came home in co-fastest last quarter (30.1) from sixth to nearly grab show spot after shuffled back along cones.
Race 3 – (1) BLACKCREEK ROSEBUD and Colin Kelly have the perfect post to use their usual front-end tactics, following a game overland effort for show from post #8 Dec. 15 at Flamboro; March 3 last year, she debuted at Western Fair in a distaff 15000clmcd event where she was narrowly fourth of five mares across the wire in tight finish; post/class relief for comeback of this field's winningest mare of 2020; note that none of those nine wins were at Western Fair. (5) RETURN TO STYLE is a versatile closer who captured her first race of the season here Feb. 16; Doug McNair stays loyal to five-time 2020 winner. (4) IDEAL SPACE won for Gord McDonnell and Tyler Borth here last week, and faces class hike tonight; last year's seven wins were mostly at Dresden and Leamington, but she was able to step up in London last Feb. 21.
Race 4 – (2) COCO BEACH DE VIE is up in class, but hard not to like; Travis Henry returns to sulky again after their off-the-pace Feb. 16 Western Fair victory; versatile 4-year-old loves London. (3) WOODMERE RIO was a beaten fave here last week, finishing second in mares' 15000clmhp after cutting the early fractions; Doug McNair picks up catch drive behind class-climbing mare who is surprisingly light on wins, yet hit board in more than half her 2020 starts. (4) SMOKE N REACTOR N made seasonal return at Western Fair Feb. 16, finishing second at distaff 15000clmcd classification; she next raced Feb. 26 at Mohawk, ending up sixth-placed-fifth in a short field; under urging, listless response; class drop.
Race 5 – (5) SPORTS NATION was a Feb. 22 London Nw1500l3cd winner, as 3/2 favourite; first recent start Lasix and rail proved helpful in front-end, going-away victory for Austin Sorrie; that was the 6-year-old's first pari-mutuel race since August; now, he shares this track's co-fastest mile of the early season (1:57.1) with three other pacers, none of them in this race; large class jump, but this is his second consecutive start with Lasix, and last week's effort was an attention-getter. (8) BETTORS VICTORY ended the 2020 season with a nose victory at Mohawk for Doug McNair, who drives #6 Harry G this race; won in gate-to-wire style at Western Fair Oct. 30 with tonight's driver Paul MacKenzie aboard; his four wins last year were over four different tracks; second tier. (3) LIVIN LARGE qualified well here Feb. 18; Tyler Borth drives 4-year-old with few victories, but consistent top-three success at Mohawk's 15000clmcd level in late 2020.
Race 6 – (3) GROOGRUX KING makes second start in a row with Lasix; made up over 20 lengths to catch field and grab show spot for Lorne House here Feb. 17, at 15000clmcd classification; no Western Fair victories among the five he recorded last year, but last week's result was his best to date at this venue; #6 Fast as Phelps set hot early fractions leading a very strung-out field of five to the three-quarters; Groogrux King turned in a field's-fastest 30.2 final quarter to get within a length of the winner at the wire; up in class; House's apparent choice over #4 High Flyin Jamie. Free-legged (1) LAST MACH turned in three going-away victories last November, two here and one at Flamboro; third in his Feb. 25 Mohawk qualifier, he now lands rail and retains usual driver Travis Henry for 2021 pari-mutuel debut. (5) HERESTHATMANAGAIN hasn't raced or qualified since Dec. 21, when he was third at this track's Nw12000lcd classification; owner/driver Garrett Rooney is back with 4-year-old who was hitting board here consistently at the end of last year.
Race 7 – (2) BEAUTY IS BLIND is one of Marc St. Louis Jr.'s four drives at The Raceway tonight; he had two winners and a place finish from four drives last card; reined this 4-year-old to a place finish here Feb. 16 on the class jump to distaff 15000clmcd level; they won together here last Oct. 21, proving too strong on front end at filly and mare Nw5000lcd classification; second race in a row with Lasix. (6) WINE TYME finds class relief and a return to the usual mile distance this week; Colin Kelly stays with good closer. (4) WOODMERE ROLLILY won over #2 Beauty Is Blind here Feb. 16, leading at every call; Doug McNair is back for an encore, but this is a somewhat tougher group and Beauty Is Blind gets post advantage this time around.
Race 8 – (4) DOLLYS SKY has an unmatched late turn of foot; impressive in Feb. 16 return at Western Fair distaff 15000clmcd level. Last until the top of the stretch in a 6-mare field, she circled all but winner Coco Beach de Vie with a last-to-first 30.2 closing quarter; Scott Young stays loyal. (5) LAND OF PARADISE gets class relief for her comeback race; Travis Henry returns to drive this field's fastest 2020 winner in her first start since Dec. 18; her most recent win was Dec. 4 at Western Fair, in an added-distance event where she was coming in off a class drop; finished third when returning from her last layoff, Nov. 25 at this track. (3) LITERALLY HANOVER is up in class; she and Daryl Thiessen put together an impressive win streak here last season, which ended with a Dec. 21 place finish to the now-absent Coco Beach de Vie; bad luck as a beaten 8/5 fave in 2021 comeback Feb. 16: she seemingly stepped on a wheel when moving second-over out of sixth going to opening quarter.
Race 9 – (2) EATAAMS TRAUMA was fourth-over from second-last at the Flamboro half Feb. 21; she was actually forced wide by a backpedaling Her Own Land at the three-quarters, and retreated; Scott Coulter didn't chase her home from impossible spot in the stretch, but he knows she's capable of better, like her show finish in Feb. 16 London debut. (6) TOGETHER WE RUN battled hard in her London Feb. 22 added-distance distaff conditioned event; going head-to-head with leader Azalea Seelster to the three-quarters; she tired to fifth, but showed that she's a threat in next start at regular mile--tonight; Colin Kelly stays with class-dropping mare who hit board in better than half of her 24 races last year. (7) MARK YOUR PAIGE is one of Nick Steward's two drives on the card; tough post for front-end-loving mare who has lost ground late in her two previous London starts; up in class.
Race 10 – (5) TWOFOURROADIE is finally free of the trailing post position; Travis Henry's apparent choice over #7 Xtatic Hanover closed for second in Western Fair Preferred-3 trot Dec. 23; while winless last year, the 9-year-old only made three starts, hitting board here twice; back class. (3) HEINEKEN SEELSTER closed 2020 with a Western Fair Nw1500l3cd victory Dec. 23; he's Alfie Carroll's lone drive on the card, but slightly suspect because he jumped it off early here Dec. 16 and has been a more regular competitor at Flamboro last year. (2) SUPER T makes 2021 debut here; top-three finisher in 13 of his 24 races last season won at The Raceway last March 13; he made front early from post #3 and held off challenger Warrawee Usain in a 2:02.2 mile that remains his career best; up in class. (7) XTATIC HANOVER has a tough post to overcome; most recent victory was at this track's Nw2500l3cd level Nov. 25; Scott Young picks up catch drive. (1) MAGICS LUCKY CHARM finished fourth in both of her last two starts at The Raceway; Lorne House stays aboard mare getting class relief tonight; she did win here at mile-and-1/16 distance Dec. 2 for Scott Wray, but over a very different group of Nw2500l3cd trotters.
Photo by John Watkins
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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 a whopping $1.60.
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