by Karen Briggs, WEG media

Toronto, ON — Sculpting his own path through a field of 10 3-year-old pacers will be a little easier for a black colt named Artists Rally, who has drawn the inside post position in Friday night’s (Jan. 30) C$20,000 opening edition of The Count B Pacing Series at Woodbine.

New Image Media photo

Artists Rally banked $46,996 as a freshman in 2008.

The son of Real Artist, out of The Panderosa daughter Spunky Gal, has been bounced around from trainer to trainer of late, landing most recently in the string of New Yorker Mark Ford, but it doesn’t seem to have affected his winning attitude.

Having taken a break after the Breeders Crown in November (where he finished eighth to Well Said after finishing a solid third in his elimination), Artists Rally crossed the finish line first in his January 19 qualifier at Mohawk, then followed that up six days later with a decisive victory at Woodbine in a $19,000 conditioned event, chalking up a new lifetime best clocking of 1:55 in the process.

The effort has earned him status as the early favorite going into the single division of The Count B Series on Jan. 30, which is slated as race number five (post time 8:50 p.m.). Mark MacDonald will be at the lines to guide Artists Rally for owners Jeff Gillis and Ken Henwood.