Front-end speed slays Sharpe’s Summer Series finals
July 16, 2018,by Kelly Spencer, manager of marketing and communications, Grand River Raceway
Elora, ON — Grand River Raceway hosted two finals of the Sharpe’s Summer Series on Monday (July 16). The series, sponsored by Sharpe Farm Supplies Ltd., has been showcased at five tracks throughout Ontario.
NCJ Photography photo
Lady London coasted to a 1:55.2 score in the Sharpe’s Feed Series final at Grand River Raceway.
Since being transferred to the Patrick Shepherd stable, Lady London and regular driver Robert Shepherd have been leaders in the distaff condition claiming ranks on the B-track circuit. Posting a 4-1-0 record in five starts for the Shepherd tandem, Lady London now adds the C$14,400 Sharpe’s Feed Series final to her resume.
With Broadway Pebbles breaking stride, Lady London was able to use rail advantage to find the front with ease and cut the mile out to fractions of :27.3, :56.3 and 1:25.4 before completing the mile in 1:55.2, a new lifetime mark for the 5-year-old Big Jim-Maddam Luck mare.
Owned by Carl Kuepfer of Newton, Ont., Lady London has banked in C$31,685 lifetime earnings with a 51-5-2-3 record.
In the second C$13,800 final, front-end speed prevailed again with Carolina Magic hanging on by a head for the win against conditioned claiming horses and geldings, fending off a fast-closing Puddin Pie.
The 3-year-old gelding, driven by Scott Young, went off at odds of 3-2 and posted fractions of :28, :58.1 and 1:26.3 en route to a 1:56.3 win, which is a new lifetime mark for the Art Major-Put On A Display colt. Trained by veteran Ben Wallace for owners Birnam Wood Farms and Wallace Standardbreds Inc, Carolina Magic now has C$38,317 in career earnings and a 21-3-6-1 record.