Some records were set at Grand River Raceway Wednesday night by the province's top two-year-old trotting fillies and three-year-old trotting colts.
Imextraspecial and driver Trevor Henry raced to a 1:57.3 time on the track, and Ontario Sires Stakes nd Canadian record for a two-year-old trotting filly on a half-mile track.
“The track was hard and fast tonight,” said Henry. “She raced great, got off the gate extra great. She handles the turns so well. Paul (Walker) has done a great job with her, all I’ve got to do is keep her out of trouble.”
Henry drives the Muscle Mass daughter for trainer Paul Walker of Owen Sound and owner Keith Coulter of Mono. The win was Imextraspecial’s third in OSS action, with the other two coming in the Grassroots program.
In the evening’s finale, nine of the province’s best three-year-old trotting colts squared up to the gate for a $157,200 Gold Series division. From Post 1, Sylvain Filion and Hayek simply said catch me if you can. The pair fired off the wings and, pressed by Moon Bridge, rang up a :27.3 quarter and a :56 half. As Moon Bridge started to fade Hot Wheelz took up the challenge and pushed Hayek through a 1:25 three-quarters. The pressure did not trouble the co-favourites however and Hayek pulled away to a four and one-quarter length victory in a spectacular 1:53.3. Hot Wheelz finished second and the other co-favourite, Pemberton, was third from the outside Post 8.
The mile was the fastest ever recorded by a trotter, of any age, on a half-mile track in Canada. It lowered the Grand River Raceway all-age record and the OSS thee-year-old trotting colt record by almost a full second.
“He’s not an easy horse, but he’s very fast. Tonight he was pretty wound up when I warmed him up and we had the rail, and when he came out of the turn he charged that gate and I said, ‘Go gate, get out of the way’. I closed my eyes going into the first turn,” said Ben Baillargeon with a chuckle. “He was pretty handy. Sylvain said he wasn’t all out though. They come after him all the mile. Bob (McClure with Moon Bridge) come and then Jody (Jamieson with Hot Wheelz) came, they all come and he fought them all.”
The Guelph resident shares ownership of Hayek with Teresa Davidson of Milton, Santo Vena of Brampton and Nunzio Vena of Bolton. The win was the E L Titan gelding’s second in Gold Series action and his fourth of the season.
On Sept. 4 Grand River Raceway will welcome the two-year-old pacing fillies back to Elora for their fourth Gold Series event.
Complete results from Wednesday’s program are available at Grand River Raceway Results.