by Karen Briggs, WEG media

Toronto, ON — The Count B Pacing Series is a proving ground for sophomore pacers, and with no one dominant colt emerging from this year’s series at Woodbine, the C$52,400 final on Friday night (Feb. 13) promises to be something of a barnburner.

Rated the 6-5 co-favorites are the double entry of trainer Mark Ford, Artists Rally and My Gift To You. The former, a black son of Real Artist, out of The Panderosa mare Spunky Gal, was second in the series opener two weeks ago, and fourth by less than two lengths in the sequel last Friday.

My Gift To You, meanwhile, missed the first leg of The Count B, but impressed with a second-place finish in the next installment on Feb. 6. A son of Camluck, out of the No Nukes mare Eternal Gift, My Gift To You recently returned to Canada after a successful stint in New York and Pennsylvania, where he posted two wins, a second and a third in four starts.

The Ford stablemates are only two of the contenders worth watching. One should not discount Herestopatrick, who was sent out from Mark Austin’s shedrow to capture his opening leg division of the series, then placed third in the second edition. The homebred son of Apaches Fame, owned by Michael Cecile, is rated at 3-1 in the morning line.

Nor should one forget about Midnite Romp, a gelded son of Million Dollar Cam who improved from third in the series opener to a win in the sequel under the guidance of Rick Zeron. David Gibson trains Midnite Romp, who improved his lifetime speed mark to 1:53.1 in last week’s effort and is rated at 9-2.

Catch the dramatic finish to the Count B Pacing Series this Friday night, Feb. 13, at Woodbine. It’s race seven, post time 9:30 p.m. (EST).

Windsong Experanza returns in Ontario Girls Series

She made quite an impression in December, scoring a win and a third in the Niagara Series opening legs before coming second by a neck to Rip Rockin Lady in the C$44,200 final on December 29.

Now Windsong Experanza is back at the Woodbine oval, and after a tightener in a conditioned event last week, she’s ready to take on the girls again, specifically the Ontario Girls, in the second of two C$20,000 divisions of the series opener on Friday night.

Rated at 8-5 in her short field of six, Windsong Experanza has a record of nine wins, three seconds, and three thirds in 21 lifetime starts. The brown daughter of the late Astreos is just short of C$100,000 in earnings for trainer and co-owner Richard McNeill and his partners, Ron Clark and Mike Henowick.

Windsong Experanza will go postward in race three, post time 8:10 p.m., while another flight of six 4-year-old pacing lasses will step behind the gate in race one, post time 7:30 p.m.