Dream of Glory field determined

Three-year-old harness racing trotters battled over a sloppy Hanover Raceway track in three eliminations on Saturday for spots in the $56,200 Dream of Glory final.

Publicity Seeker vaulted out of the pocket in the final eighth of a mile to take the first division.

Doug McNair landed Publicity Seeker the second spot on the inside as Highland Mowgli (Louis-Philippe Roy) swooped by to the front on the first turn. Publicity Seeker tailed the leader through :29.3, 1:01, and 1:31.1 fractions and angled out as they turned for home.

Highland Mowgli did not respond to Roy’s urging in the stretch, and Publicity Seeker rolled past him to a 2:01.2 victory. Highland Mowgli finished second, well clear of third-place finisher Century Highness (Jody Jamieson).

PUBLICITY SEEKER REPLAY

Publicity Seeker, a three-year-old son of Muscle Mass, is striking at a 50 per cent rate after 12 career starts. He has made $118,660 for owners Richard Thompson and Stephen Bossence of London and Derek Reid of Etobicoke. Bossence trains the $38,000 London Selected sale purchase. The horse paid $5.70 to win.

Sweet Soul David vindicated the bettors that made him 6/5 in the second split.

The Kadabra gelding glided to an early lead and set a :30.1 quarter mile time before Muscle Jack (Jamieson) brushed to the front. Sweet Soul David traveled in the pocket through middle splits of 1:00.2 and 1:31.1 and popped out at the mouth of the final turn.

Muscle Jack resisted the challenge until Sweet Soul David broke through with a late push to win in 2:02.4. Muscle Jack missed by half a length. Top Of The Back (Bob McClure) finished sixth lengths behind in third.

SWEET SOUL DAVID REPLAY

Sweet Soul David is now five-for-12 lifetime with $95,682 earned. Patrick Lang trains the winner of the 2020 $50,000 Balanced Image and two 2021 Grassroots events. Lang, a resident of Port Perry, co-owns the gelding with Simon Swindells of Little Britain, Garth Bechtel of Meaford, and Paul Kleinpaste of Orangeville.

Tipsy In Dixie led from start to finish in the third elimination for the fastest victory of the three groups.

James MacDonald guided the filly to the front before the first turn and rated her to a :29 quarter and 1:00.3 half. Kilauea (McNair) made a first-over bid in the third panel, but Tipsy In Dixie turned her away after hitting three-quarters in 1:30.1 and completed the 2:01 score in a comfortable final fraction.

Kilauea was clear in second over Buckys Angel (Wayne MacLean), who recovered from an early break to finish third.

TIPSY IN DIXIE REPLAY

Tipsy In Dixie, a $4.20 winner, is now seven-for-12 lifetime and has raked in $93,125. Harry Poulton conditions the daughter of Muscle Mass for The Stable’s Tipsy In Dixie group and Hutchison Harness LLC. of North Ridgeville.

The field for the Dream of Glory final is as follows:

1 – Sweet Soul David
2 – Century Highness
3 – Publicity Seeker
4 – Tipsy In Dixie
5 – Muscle Jack
6 – Kilauea
7 – Top Of The bar
8 – Highland Mowgli
AE – Buckys Angel

The Dream of Glory final is set for Saturday, Jul. 31 at Hanover Raceway.

For full race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink