Clements takes first driving win

DUNDAS, Ont.— Ryan Clements made his first visit to the harness racing winner’s circle and Anthony Verruso clenched the win in their respective $8,000 divisions of the CKG Billings Pace over a track rated sloppy at Flamboro Downs on Sunday (Oct. 13).

Clements fired down the road with 3-5 favorite Choreographer (Well Said) to land his first driving win, stopping the clock in 1:58.4 in the first division.

Choreographer grabbed the helm from post 3 and refused to relinquish control when confronted by Time Stand Still (driven by Marc Andre Pilon) through a :28.2 first quarter. Time Stand Still raced parked through the second turn as Clements cruised on the point to a :58.1 half and continued unfettered heading for the backside.

Choreographer clocked by three-quarters in 1:28.1 and held firm through the stretch to notch a 1-1/4-length win over pocket-sitter Macho Polo (Julie Walker). Abc (Robert Ciavardini) mounted a mild first-over bid in the back half to take third and Rising Dragon (John Calabrese) saved ground to finish fourth.

RYAN CLEMENTS / CHOREOGRAPHER REPLAY

Scott West owns and trains Choreographer, a 9-year-old gelding. He paid $3.30 to win.

Anthony Verruso delivered 2-1 chalk Cove Beach (Lyonssomewhere) in a down-the-road 2:02.2 effort in the second Billings division.

Verruso took command out of post 2 and kept his peers chasing to the end. Cove Beach carved a clip of :29, 1:00.3 and 1:31.2 with little pressure mounting from the backfield coming for the stretch. Cove Beach collected a facile win by 1-3/4 lengths over pocket-sitter Keepitinperspctive (Daniel St Pierre) in second. Rambaran Rose (Nello Guglielmi) rode the pylons to finish third and Missy Rocks (Marc Andre Pilon) persisted through a parked mile to take fourth.