Tidy victory for Pretty Handsome

All went according to plan for Pretty Handsome as he collected his fifth – and fastest – harness racing win of the year on Tuesday, leading throughout in the Georgian Downs Preferred 2 Pace.

The six-year-old Mach Three gelding forced all six rivals behind him as driver J. Bradley Harris ordered him to the front from the pylon post. After taking the lead in a :27 opening panel, Pretty Handsome enjoyed an uncontested lead to the midway point in :57 before turning the tempo back up to neutralize a first-over advance from Pembrook Legacy N (Lorne House).

With a stable advantage at three-quarters in 1:24.3, Harris urged Pretty Handsome to put the race away. The gelding responded with a strong stretch drive and finished the win in a season’s best time of 1:52.3.

A late charge from Pedro Hanover (Colin Kelly) came up a length and a quarter short. Statement Made A finished just behind him in third.

PRETTY HANDSOME REPLAY

Pretty Handsome is five-for-11 in 2021 and has won 35 of 79 career starts. His career earnings total $347,370 for owner Glenview Livestock Ltd. of Wallenstein. Lacey McCabe trains the gelding.

Also on the card, trainer James Casha of Tillsonburg harnessed his first ever winner. King Of Magic (Jean Rene Plante) led at every call in the seventh race and scored in 1:56.1 for Casha, who co-owns with Roxanne Casha and Una Casha. James Casha debuted as a conditioner on Jun. 29 with King Of Magic and has made all eight career starts with the horse. King Of Magic, an eight-year-old son of Kadabra, is five-for-75 lifetime.

KING OF MAGIC REPLAY

Georgian Downs, in its last month of racing for the season, hosts its third-to-last card on Saturday, Aug. 28 with a first post of 7:25 p.m. EDT.

For full race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harneslink