Charmbo Prince reigns in Hayter Memorial

Charmbo Prince won the annual Vic Hayter Memorial on Sunday at Clinton Raceway with a mid-stretch breakthrough for harness racing driver Mike Saftic.

The four-year-old son of Royalty For Life received a hole in fourth after flying very wide into the first turn from post seven. Power And Grace (Brett Macdonald) won the lead in a :29 first quarter mile, and Charmbo Prince got the outside flow underway with a first-over move approaching the half in :59.1.

Charmbo Prince gained on Power And Grace in the third sector, moving within a length and a half as they completed three-quarters in 1:29. Power And Grace dug in at the pylons, keeping his head in front until the final 1/16th of a mile when Charmbo Prince put him away and sailed to the win in 1:58.2.

CHARMBO PRINCE REPLAY

Power And Grace finished second, a length and a quarter behind. Sicario (Austin Sorrie) stalked the battlers throughout and finished third. John Rier, a Kitchener resident, trains the gelding that he co-owns and co-bred with Randy Rier of Hanover. Charmbo Prince is now seven-for-35 lifetime and broke the six digit barrier in career earnings with the victory.

The Hayter Memorial is an annual race honouring Vic Hayter, a prominent hotelier that owned standardbreds and took interest in harness racing. It has been held every year since his death in 2016.

Clinton Raceway also hosted three divisions of the Ontario Sires Stakes Prospect Series’ third leg.

Get To The Pointe was dominant in the first split for three-year-old trotting males, scoring in 2:01.1 by five and three quarter lengths for driver and trainer Wayne Henry. High Stakes Inc. and the Henry Stable bred and own the Muscle Mass gelding.

Petro Angel wired her foes in the only contest for sophomore filly trotters in 2:00.4. Macdonald piloted the daughter of Archangel to her second lifetime victory for owner, trainer, and breeder Darryl Laver. Laver purchased the filly back from the London Selected sale for $15,000.

Willywin did indeed win, reaching up late for driver Travis Henry to win by a head in 2:02 in the second three-year-old trotting colt division. It was a maiden-breaking victory for the Angus Hall gelding. William Megens bred, trains, and owns the gelding that has now started 25 times.

Clinton Raceway returns to action on Sunday, Aug. 15. Including that card, the track has four dates remaining in its 2021 season.

For full race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink