Upset winner breaks three yearly maidens

Harness racing driver Thomas Smith, trainer Jayne Walker, and their horse Full Credit visited the winner’s circle for the first time this year on Tuesday at The Raceway at Western Fair District as the Up The Credit gelding scored at 17-1.

Smith urged the four-year-old from the word “go,” and they settled into a pocket seat behind Snap Test (Jason Ryan), who laid down a :27.2 opening quarter and :57 half from the front. Smith pulled the trigger on Full Credit on the backside and neutralized the leader’s advantage as they reached three-quarters in 1:26.1.

Snap Test resisted at the pylons, but Full Credit edged away on the turn with Print Media (J. Bradley Harris) circling three wide. By the top of the stretch, Full Credit etched out a clear lead, and Smith hurried him home to win by two lengths in 1:57.

Livin Large (Garrett Rooney) closed late for second, a length clear of Golden Sand (Scott Young). The win price was $36.30.

Full Credit, Walker, and Smith all had their pictures taken for the first time this season. The residents of Holland Centre each had six prior starts; the gelding finished sixth on his campaign debut last week. Walker has 120 lifetime wins as a trainer in 2,467 starts. Smith has now won 474 times from 6,772 tries in a 41-year career to date. Walker and Smith also sent out three-year-old Control The Moment filly Ardynes Moment in the third for owner John Lago; the horse finished eighth.

Also on the card, Champagne Phil led at every pole in the Preferred 2 Handicap Pace feature. The 12-year-old Shanghai Phil gelding stepped to the engine early for Tyler Moore, led all the way, and kept in front of a late-charging Ohare Hanover (Mike Whelan) for the 1:53.3 score. Ken Oliver trains the $13.30 winner for ICR Racing of Pefferlaw. Champagne Phil is now 54-for-266 in his career and has earned more than $690,000.

Tomorrow’s card at The Raceway features the Ontario Regional Driving Championship, which will decide the province’s representative to the Canadian National Driving Championship. Travis Henry, Trevor Henry, Colin Kelly, Brett MacDonald, James MacDonald, Bob McClure, Doug McNair, Louis-Philippe Roy, and Austin Sorrie will compete from races three to 11. The first race is set for 5:50 p.m. EDT.

For full race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink