Sly Eleanor doubles in Preferred

Sly Eleanor scored her second straight Preferred-level harness racing victory at Georgian Downs on Sunday with a blast to the front at the half.

She started third from the rail for Jean Rene Plante and remained in line through the first quarter in :27.2. The mare popped out from third going by the stands and brushed to the front, going three-wide around Casimir Swamp Girl (Colin Kelly), who was making a move of her own.

Sly Eleanor led to the half in :57.1 and three-quarters in 1:24.3 and finished the Preferred 2 victory in 1:53 with little late encouragement from Plante. Casimir Swamp Girl maintained second, and So Frisky (Travis Henry) emerged from a photo for show.

Sly Eleanor, who paid $2.90, improved her lifetime record to 18-for-86 lifetime and increased her earnings to $243,605 with the win. Gary Lance trains and co-owns the eight-year-old daughter of Mcardle with Brian Samis. Both shareholders live in Port Perry.

Georgian also hosted the first Racing Under Saddle (RUS) event – a race in which standardbreds are ridden at a trot – in Ontario since the restart of racing. Nebraska Jack, a son of Cantab Hall, won the contest as an overwhelming favourite in his RUS debut after pocket-popping nearing three quarters and streaking away from his opponents. Karoline Nielsen of Stouffville, who rode and trained, is leasing the horse from Stephen Palermo. Nebraska Jack, who won in 2:00.2, has been successful in 25 of his 136 career starts and has earned $205,065.

Georgian Downs returns on Sunday, Jun. 27 with a 10-race card that includes another Preferred 2 event. The first post is set for 6:00 p.m. EDT.

For full race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink