Track On 2 set to host 4-year-old stake eliminations

Eliminations for the Elizabeth Johnson Memorial and the Ron Orr feature on the harness racing card on Sunday (July 28) at Track On 2. There are two $5,300 divisions for each event and the finals are set for Aug. 4.

Van Nuys (Mr Wiggles) draws into the first division of Elizabeth Johnson after picking up her third win of 2024 last week at Century Downs. She paced the mile in 1:56, which is now her lifetime best. This will be her first start at Track On 2, but she has had experience on the larger mile-length track at Century Mile. Van Nuys won there three times during her sophomore campaign, so it shouldn’t be too difficult for her this time around. She received the nod to be the morning line favourite at 5-2. Gerry Hudon handles training duties for the mare. Part-owner and driver Phil Giesbrecht will be in the bike once again.

She will face stiff competition in the first division in Avas Angel Baby (Sunshine Beach). The Donna Sarin-trained mare has only one win this year, but it was clocked in a competitive 1:56.3. She has been pacing miles in similar times as of late, and a performance like that could be good enough to win on Sunday. Jamie Gray will be in the sulky behind Avas Angel Baby.

Another Hudon-Giesbrecht entry, Handcuffed (Captive Audience) draws into the second division. She started the year off great with three straight wins at Century Mile but has had a rough time since. Her last pari-mutuel start was in May until she resurfaced last week to qualify. She qualified in 2:00.1 but has a lifetime mark of 1:56.4. The return to the bigger track might be exactly what Handcuffed needs. 

The morning line favourite in the second split is Short Sell Hanover (Bettors Delight) at 3-1. She hasn’t won since May 25 but has been finding ways to finish near the top. She matched her lifetime mark of 1:55.4 in her most recent victory, her seventh lifetime. Short Sell Hanover is the only Kelly Hoerdt entry in either elimination. 

Over in the opening elimination of the Ron Orr, the Lazarus N sired gelding Laz To First will make his fifth start of the year. He has one win in 2024 but opens at 7-2 odds. Even though he finished third, he posted a mile of 1:55 last week, which is three seconds faster than his lifetime mark. The gelding was racing at Northfield Park late last year before making the trip north to Century Mile. He was winning in Ohio and pacing sub-1:59 miles consistently.

The 3-1 favourite, Lunch Pail Guy (Santanna Blue Chip) draws the rail and will be eying his sixth win of the year. He set a new lifetime best of 1:56.1 at Track On 2 back in June, and a time similar to that will be needed to win this elimination. David Kelly, who already has 70 wins this year and a UDRS of 0.324, jumps in the sulky. Kelly has 31 wins as a trainer and could add to that total as well on Sunday.

The All Bets Off pacer Mercedes headlines the second elimination and is hot off a huge 1:53.3 winning mile at Century Downs. He has won four of his last five races and has earned over $15,000 this year. He has never finished second or third place and seems to be an all-or-nothing type of horse. Brandon Campbell trains Mercedes but will hand over driving duties to Logan Gillis.

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by Trey Colbeck, for Harnesslink