Dominant winners in Balanced Image elims

Lilys Lass and Sea Can blew out their Ontario-sired two-year-old trotting harness racing opponents in the Balance Image Trot eliminations on Saturday at Hanover Raceway.

Lilys Lass broke her maiden in the first elimination as she seized command early for Phil Hudon, cut :29.1, 1:00.1, and 1:29.2 fractions and left her rivals behind in the third quarter en route to a five-and-three-quarter-length victory in 1:59.4.

In three previous career starts, the daughter of Angus Hall finished second in an Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots event on debut, flashed speed in a Gold in Jul. 28 but faded to fourth, and replicated the position in a conditioned event on Aug. 10. Cambridge resident Patrick Hunt trains and co-owns the $13,000 Ontario Select sale purchase with Goldfinger Stables of Thornhill.

Allisonann Hanover (driven by Bob McClure, sired by Archangel), Stonebridge Zeus (Trevor Henry/Resolve), and Sir Ballykeel (Scott Young/Il Sogno Dream) also made the final as they finished second through fourth, in order.

LILYS LASS REPLAY

Sea Can, driven by Bob McClure, sat third through :28.3 and :58.2 opening panels, circled the leader at the three-quarter pole in 1:28.4, and drew off to win the second elimination in 1:59.2 by 11 and a quarter lengths.

Trainer Mark Etsell of Rockwood shares ownership of the Muscle Mass gelding with Terry Devos of Langton, who bred Sea Can, and Peter Porter of Port Dover. The horse is now one-for-six lifetime. He hit the board in his first two starts in conditioned races before moving on to the Grassroots, in which he finished third. He then took fourth in a Gold and a Grassroots in subsequent starts.

Second-place finisher Rolling In Clover (Guy Gagnon/Kadabra), third placegetter Cm Savewill Gl (Nick Steward/Muscle Mass), and fourth-place finisher Three Finger Pour (Hudon/Muscle Mass) will join Sea Can and the first group of four in the final.

SEA CAN REPLAY

The $44,200 final of the Balanced Image goes forward on Saturday, Aug. 28 at Hanover. The annual stake is named for Hall of Fame inductee Balanced Image, a legendary Canadian sire who produced horses such as Billyjojimbob, Gootimes, Glorys Comet, and Yankee Paco.

For full race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink