The dragon dances again at Flamboro

Dontpokethedragon (Custard The Dragon) nailed down a third consecutive Preferred Handicap Pace harness racing victory on Wednesday (Dec. 7) at Flamboro Downs.

The five-year-old gelding, now nine-for-31 in his first year in Ontario, gunned for the front from post six for Travis Cullen and paced fractions of :28, :57, 1:25. Ideal Perception (Austin Sorrie), glued to the leader from the pocket, slid left into the passing lane as they swung for home. With first-over challenger Smooth Lou (J. Bradley Harris) already dispatched, Dontpokethedragon dug in and held off the inner challenger for the victory in 1:53.4. Ideal Perception missed by a head. Smooth Lou was third.

DONTPOKETHEDRAGON REPLAY

Dontpokethedragon is a 26-time winner in 85 lifetime starts. The former Alberta Sires Stakes champion moved to Ontario at the beginning of this year for owners J J J Stables of Prince George, Paul Sanders of Surrey, and Cullen. Jodie Cullen trains the gelding, whose bankroll now totals $241,200.

Travis Cullen completed a driving triple in the 10th race finale behind Alta Engen A (Alta Christiano), captaining the gelding’s first win since April. Cullen’s other win was with Blakesagent (Roll With Joe), who was making his first start in Ontario. The two-year-old won handily by three-and-a-half lengths in 1:58.1 to remain unbeaten. The Wayne MacRae-owned gelding was an open-length winner in both of his appearances at Charlottetown. Jodie Cullen now trains the freshman.

Racing at Flamboro Downs rolls into Friday, Dec. 8. First post is set for 6:35 p.m. EST.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink