Preferred double for Arrakis

Arrakis quickly captured his second straight Preferred 2 Trot at Georgian Downs on Sunday, a week after a narrow victory in the class.

The Federal Flex gelding seized the lead briefly before Refi (Nick Steward) and Esquire (Colin Kelly) stepped around him and battled two-wide. Refi came out on top in a :27.3 quarter and slowed in the second panel for a :57.3 half-mile time. Bob McClure slid Arrakis out of third as the first-over Darkangeldebois F (Scott Young) threatened to box him in at the top of the backstretch.

Arrakis made it to the leader’s wheel by three-quarters in 1:26.4 and continued his charge in to the final turn. Refi offered resistance until mid-stretch, when Arrakis pushed clear to victory in 1:56.

Refi finished three quarters of a length behind in second. Esquire surged into space late and snagged the show spot.

ARRAKIS REPLAY

Francis Guillemette of Guelph owns and trains Arrakis, a nine-year-old gelding. The horse is seven-for-14 in 2021 and has won 24 times in 187 career starts, including Preferred 2 Trot at Georgian. His earnings total $396,404.

Georgian Downs’ next card is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 17 at 7:15 p.m. The 10-race program features a Preferred 2 Pace.

For full race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink