by Ashley Mayotte, WEG communications

Toronto, ON — Don Culham loves the excitement that being a Standardbred owner brings him. Dukester, a 5-year-old gelding, is one of his horses that had him on the edge of his seat the last time he was at Woodbine.

New Image Media photo

Dukester was a 1:56.2 winner in the second round of the Don Mills Series.

After flying late to score a 19-1 upset by three-quarters of a length in the second round of the Don Mills Trotting Series, Dukester secured himself a spot in the C$75,000 final on Monday (Feb. 27) at the Toronto oval.

But when the field turned for home and the son of Duke Of York-Sputters was seventh, 6-1/2 lengths off the leader, Culham, who has owned horses since 1970, said, “I thought he was going to finish no worse than second. I was looking to get into the final, but I really didn’t expect to win (the second leg). It was very exciting.”

The bay also lowered his lifetime mark to 1:56.2 in the process. The six-time career winner, who has two wins and two third-place finishes in five 2012 starts, was always on Culham’s radar.

“I liked him for a couple of years,” said the 63-year-old Cambridge resident. “I purchased him off of Chris Christoforou, Sr. last August.

“He is just a really nice animal and I thought he could be improved upon,” he added. “Usually I buy horses that I have seen race and that I like the way they go. I thought he’d be a nice horse for me to race this winter.”

Culham feels that Dukester, a winner of $24,180 so far this year, is a trotter that never quits and may surprise again.

“He doesn’t have a lot of early speed,” he explained. “I was hoping that I would draw closer to the inside so we can get into the flow. As long as there is lots of speed up front then he will close and be there at the end.”

Paul MacDonell will drive the Ken Switzer trainee. The pair will leave from post eight in the fifth race.

The Don Mills Trotting Series final:

1. Jessesjo–Scott Zeron
2. Run And Tell Pap–Luc Ouellette
3. Charlie Is A Joker–Sylvain Filion
4. P L Daley–Chris Christoforou
5. Poof K–J. Bradley Harris
6. Texas Ridge–Billy Davis, Jr.
7. Slip Into Glide–Mario Baillargeon
8. Dukester–Paul MacDonell
9. Bullet–Keith Oliver
10. Here Comes Numbers–Randy Waples