$157,975 Simcoe won in an upset

There is no need to worry when harness racing driver Louis-Philippe Roy gets in the sulky to drive a horse for the first time as he proved that Saturday, driving 13-1 Inaminute Hanover to an impressive victory in the $157,975 Simcoe Stake at Mohawk Park.

The fourth race Grand Circuit event for three-year-old trotting colts saw Inaminute Hanover and Roy shoot to the early lead from post five with Spy Booth (Dexter Dunn) also leaving from the outside and settling into second place.

Roy and Inaminute Hanover cut the mile to the quarter in :27.2 and the half mile in :56 before race favorite Locatelli (Andy McCarthy) started up first-over, flushing Ritson (James MacDonald) from third place to come after the leaders.

But it was too little too late as they past the three-quarters in 1:24.1 with Inaminute Hanover starting to open up on the field. Then in the stretch Inaminute Hanover was the strong horse, going on to win by three and one-quarter lengths in 1:52.4. Publicity Seeker (Doug McNair) was second with Ritson third.

How did Roy know he was going to drive Inaminute Hanover in the Simcoe?

“I just saw my name listed this week and I was pretty happy,” Roy said. “Luc’s Team is legendary in getting a horse ready for big races. I was kinda confident going into the race. He just felt so strong at the start of the race I just let him do it. Down the lane I still had the plugs in coming down the stretch, I was just a passenger.”

INAMINUTE HANOVER REPLAY

A gelded son of Bar Hopping, it was the sixth win this year for Inaminute Hanover and a lifetime mark. He is trained by Luc Blais for Determination of Montreal, QC and paid $28.20 to win.

For full race results, click here.

By Steve Wolf, for Harnesslink