Speed is king in City of London first leg

Early speed ruled on Friday (May 13) in the ten City of London Series first leg harness racing divisions at The Raceway at Western Fair District.

Horses leading at the quarter won eight of the night’s ten $8,000 contests. There were six pacing divisions and four for trotters, along with six for colts and geldings and four for fillies and mares. The race conditions restrict entries to include only four-year-old and under Ontario-breds with less than $10,000 lifetime earned before Feb. 28, 2022.

Race 1 – Trotting horses and geldings

Mass Attack was all business in the first group, leading all the way for driver Scott Young in a 1:59.4 score. Maple Leaf Bound (Anthony Haughan) finished second after his late charge fell short by a neck. Tymal Shamrok (David Boughton) took show.

It was the first career win for Mass Attack, a sophomore son of Muscle Mass. Peter Clements trains the gelding he bred and owns with Barry Klages of Owen Sound. Mass Attack’s earnings total is now $12,066.

Race 2 – Trotting horses and geldings

Come Home For Life dodged a breaker in his division, forged to the front in the first quarter, and stormed away to a comfortable two-and-a-quarter-length win for driver Boughton in 2:01.3. Energizer De Vie (Travis Cullen) edged out Guinness (Matthew Bax) for place.

The winning three-year-old Royalty For Life gelding also broke his maiden, winning for the first time in eight tries. Donald Lindsey trains the gelding for Paul Lindsey of Fergus.

Race 3 – Pacing fillies and mares

Lyons Princess continued the trend of front-end winners in the third as she blasted out early for Haughan and headed the third-race field to the line in 1:56.3. Rockabillycockshut (J. Bradley Harris) nearly surprised the winner with a late bid but was a neck too late. Da Magic Me Me (Tyler Borth) finished well back in third.

Lyons Princess, a sophomore daughter of Lyonssomewhere, has now won three of her lifetime 11 starts for $23,800 in earnings. Anthony Beaton trains her for Threelyonsracing of Brantford.

Race 4 – Pacing horses and geldings

Airy Shadow capitalized on his pylon positioning in the fourth division with a swift dash to the engine at the start, and he rolled all the way home for driver Scott Coulter for an open-length score in 1:56.1. Docsphillycheese (Garrett Rooney) was second over Night Out (Brett MacDonald).

The winner, a three-year-old Shadow Play gelding, broke his maiden with the win. It was the horse’s yearly debut. R. Gregg McNair conditions the $60,000 Harrisburg purchase that he co-owns with Ilderton Boys Stable of London.

Race 5 – Trotting fillies and mares

Jason Ryan hustled Larrys Girl to the top in race five. The mare held her length and a half advantage into the final quarter, and she out-sprinted odds-on favourite Kickin Your Mass (Haughan) to the finish in 2:00.2. Calm Cool Collectd (Coulter) finished third after a belated rally.

Larrys Girl is now five-for-13 lifetime with $36,670 in earnings. Francis Guillemette trains the four-year-old Il Sogno Dream miss for a numbered company in Ontario and Jody McClure of Rockwood.

Race 6 – Pacing fillies and mares

The successful speed continued in the sixth with a wire-to-wire score for Sexy Playmate, who held off the closing field for the 1:59.4 victory. Ezbriesybeautiful (Coulter) mounted the most threatening challenge and was second by a half length. Barstow Belle (Ryan Desroche) was just behind for show.

Sexy Playmate has now won two consecutive starts for trainer and owner Kyle Bossence of Arthur. The sophomore Shadow Play filly has earned $12,195 on two wins from eight tries.

Race 7 – Pacing horses and geldings

Greystone Ian O overcame a first-over opening panel and a third-quarter speed duel for the night’s fastest win in the seventh. Driver Lorne House opted to march the gelding to the front instead of taking a hole after getting away fourth-quickest, and Greystone Ian O hit the top in the second quarter. He then withstood a blistering brush from Almost There Boss (Scott Coulter) at the half and blasted away in the final stanza for a four-and-three-quarter-length win in 1:54.2. Super Fm (Tyler Borth) was a quarter-length best of the rest in second over Almost There Boss, who was third.

The triumphant son of Sportswriter lowered his career mark by two seconds in the victory. House conditions the now-four-time winner and co-owns with partners Ryan Clements of London and Ryan Willis of Bowmanville. Greystone Ian O is now four-for-nine lifetime with $26,355 earned.

Race 8 – Trotting horses and geldings

The Champ Champ surprised bettors in division eight as he wired his foes at 12-1 odds. Haughan settled the three-year-old colt onto the front from the two-hole, managed his charge to a soft second split, and the colt was untouchable down the lane en route to a third straight winner’s circle visit in 1:59. Livingontherail (Aaron Byron) aptly enjoyed a pocket trip to a place finish. Crooked Dealer (Coulter) was another length adrift in third.

Caroline Holliday of Mount Forest owns and bred The Champ Champ, a son of Archangel that is now three-for-six with $12,684 in career bankroll. Her husband, David Holliday, trains the colt. The Champ Champ now boasts a three-race victory streak after continuing the winning ways he showed in January before being laid up.

Race 9 – Pacing fillies and mares

P L Portia drove on in the ninth and swept to the lead by the quarter after Lady Libby (Borth) out-left her early. House then gave P L Portia sensible middle-half fractions, and the Sunshine Beach filly opened up in the stretch for a 1:56.3 three-and-a-quarter-length win over second-place finisher Lyons Believer (Haughan) and show-getter Dustins Girl (Brett MacDonald).

P L Portia is now four-for-nine lifetime for owners Ryan Clements of London and Prince Lee Acres of Uxbridge. The homebred has made $19,480 to date under the guidance of House, who also trains.

Race 10 – Pacing horses and geldings

It took until the finale, but Leavin Bruises has become the first winner on the card to not lead at three-quarters. Coulter placed the Believeinbruiser ridgling up front in the opening phase but relinquished control to Yarm (Travis Henry). Leavin Bruises popped the pocket on the final turn after eating helmet for half a mile and grinded his way past Yarm to score in 1:56.2. Yarm was beaten a half length. Delightful Wine (Scott Wray) finished third.

Leavin Bruises now rides a three-race run of success following big consecutive wins at Flamboro Downs. Courtney Bishop of Guelph trains, bred, and co-owns the three-year-old with Leo Fleming of Campbellville. The ridgling is now three-for-nine lifetime and has brought in $11,400.

The second leg of the City of London Series will go to post on Friday, May 20 at The Raceway. The $20,000 finals are set for Friday, May 27.

To view City of London Series information, click here.

For full race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink