Phoenix fires to Preferred win

Phoenix (Deweycheatumnhowe) captured the Flamboro Downs Preferred Trot on Saturday in a tough front-end harness racing performance at 5-1.

The gelding was under siege from the start, battling with Southwind Domino (Daryl Thiessen) around the first turn. He won the war of wills to secure command before the quarter in :28.1 for Jean-Bernard Renaud but faced his next challenger at the second station in :58.

Favourite Tusan Prince (Paul Mackenzie) rushed up from third and sparred eye-to-eye with the leader on the third turn, drawing a length in front just past three-quarters in 1:26.1. A resurgent Phoenix fought back at the inside and retook the lead as they came down the stretch. Tuscan Prince battled on, and Southwind Domino joined them late, but Phoenix hung on by a head to prevail in 1:56.3.

Tuscan Prince held second over Southwind Domino.

PHOENIX REPLAY

Phoenix has won four of his past five starts, including three at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The Julie Walker-trained gelding is 26-for-162 lifetime with $299,544 in earnings. Sebastian Leblanc of Saint-Andre-d’Argenteuil owns the seven-year-old.

Austin Sorrie piloted four winners for a grand slam on the nine-race card.

Racing continues at Flamboro Downs on Sunday, Dec. 22 at 6:55 p.m. EST.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink