Whosurboy is dominant in Spring Pacing Championship

by Jeff Renton, media/communications, the Woodbine Entertainment Group

Toronto, ON — Recording the first sub-1:50 mile of the 2005 Canadian racing season, Whosurboy ($5.30, $4.30, 2.60) and driver Luc Ouellette tipped from second-over in the lane and went on to stop the clock in 1:49.3 during Woodbine’s C$114,000 final of the Spring Pacing Championship on Saturday evening.

While re-writing the stakes mark, Whosurboy, a seven-year-old Artsplace bay, also took one-fifth of a second off his personal speed badge. The previous stakes record in the event for four-year-olds and older was equaled in 2004 by Wolfdancer Mindale, after Camcracker, a two-time SPC victor, recorded an identical time in 2002.

WEG Photo

Whosurboy became a millionaire thanks to a victory in the Spring Pacing Championship Final on Saturday night.

“Through the stretch, when I moved him and I was waving my whip, he was just trying to come out of his harness,” Ouellette said from the winner’s circle. “That’s the way his finishes his miles if you are able to hide him until the head of the stretch.”

Not to mention conditioning the winner, trainer Mark Ford also picked up the second place check, as Street Sign ($7.80, $5.60), in rein to Rick Zeron, closed from third-over to finish three-quarters of a length back, bottoming the $38.00 exactor. In rein to his trainer, Roger Mayotte, Escape The Wind ($4.00), who had made the first-over sacrifice, hung on for third and finished two lengths back, completing a $145.50 triactor.

Rair Earth, who was sent off at even money and was piloted by his regular partner, Mike Saftic, cut the fractions in :26.3, :55.1 and 1:22.3, but faded in the stretch and finished fourth. Aahm Canadian Now (Mark MacDonald), who was racing as a 33-1 shot, picked up the final check.

A sentimental choice to many of the Woodbine faithful, Admirals Express, who was in rein to Paul MacDonell, made a break off the gate and was never a factor in the mile.

Whosurboy, a career millionaire out of the Big Towner mare Sweet Reflection, sat fourth through all of the opening splits and picked up his cover early in the third quarter, as Escape The Wind made an advance from the three hole.

Even though on paper it seems like a dream trip, Ouellette found there were some anxious moments in the mile, especially since Rair Earth recorded a relatively soft opening half-mile.

“Roger was taking his time coming first-up and that was putting us out at least four lengths from (Rair Earth). At that point, yes, there was some concern,” Ouellette explained. “But, when we bunched up a little bit at the head of the stretch and I put my horse wide, he showed me that he was going to advance very well, and he did.”

With the effort, Whosurboy recorded his 31st career victory for owner Ed Mullinax of Amherst, Ohio, who has now seen the bay bank $1,006,356 on the track.

Even after a full slate of tilts in 2004, Whosurboy is still holding his own in 2005, as his 4-1-2 record and $138,425 in earnings from his 11 starts indicates.

“He’s got a form that speaks for itself,” Ouellette said, of his rugged mount. “He raced 44 times last year and he’s just a great horse.

“I know he’s earned himself a career as a stallion now. But, it’s not breeding season at this time, so hopefully they’ll keep him around and we’ll be able to watch him race every week.”

NOTES: Even without capturing the Spring Pacing Championship, it would have still been a successful Saturday night for Ouellette, as he recorded a handful of wins.

Combined with trainer Kevin McMaster, the pair swept the opening double ($76.50), as Westcoast Man ($38.00) got it done in the card’s opening dash and Coris Lucky Guy ($5.50) took the second race.

Fast forward to the fifth race of the evening and Ouellette was absolutely flying with Brett Robinson trainee Artesian ($4.90). The five-year-old bay son of Artiscape battled harness-to-harness with McDylan (Trevor Ritchie) through splits of :25.3, :53.3 and 1:21.4 before coming home to stop the clock in 1:50.1.

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