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

Toronto, ON — Bettors didn’t give Western Gem or Rocketboy much backing in the C$17,000 second leg of the Apaches Fame Series Friday evening at Woodbine, but both of the three-year-olds returned large double-digit prices.

With the 3-5 favourite O Narutac Magic going offstride while battling for early position, Western Gem and driver Tony Kerwood were able to return the large prices in the first of the two splits.

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Western Gem took advantage of a pocket trip to win on Friday.

Gladly accepting a pocket ride as PH Tidal Wave and driver Randy Waples cut opening fractions of :27², :56³, and 1:26¹, Western Gem ($63.60, $17.50, $11.40) popped from the cover in the lane and paced to a one length score in a life’s mark of 1:54³. Pokagon ($4.60, $3.90) finished second and bottomed-out the $263.70 exactor. PH Tidal Wave ($5.40), who was two lengths back, hung on for third and completed an eye-catching $1,488.70 triactor.

Trained by co-owner Dennis Nadon of Cottam, Ontario for his partner Kennith Robertson of Allen Park, Michigan, Western Gem posed for his second winner’s photo of the year from four tries with the effort.

Western Gem, a son of Rambaran—Ann Opal, now has $10,148 in earnings on the year and $15,822 in his career.

Also working his way into a pocket ride, Rocketboy and driver Kelvin Rose engineered the second shocker of the evening, stopping the clock in a mark-lowering mile of 1:54⁴ in the second division.

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Rocketboy and Kelvin Rose also lit up the tote board on Friday.

After leaving from post five, Rose and the daughter of Pacific Rocket—Tarport Sensation ($66.20, $24.30, $12.00) made the lead early and cut a :27¹ opening fraction. Chris Christoforou and 8-5 favourite Mata Harry made the front from the four hole before the :56¹ half-mile. Now in the two hole past the 1:25² third station, Rose and the Rocco Auciello-trained miss sprinted off the cover to the three-quarter length victory. Warrawee Flash ($9.80, $5.70) and driver Rod Hennessy were second, while Randy Waples and Classic Grin ($6.30) were one and three-quarter lengths back in third. The exactor returned $577.10, while the triactor paid a whopping $8,178.20.

Owned by Allan and John Lockie of Zephyr, Ontario, Rocketboy earned his first score of the season, raising his record to 1-1-1 from nine starts. His career bankroll now rests at $19,456.

The C$49,400 (estimated) final of the Apaches Fame Series is scheduled for next Friday, March 26.

Silver Reign final may be too close to call

Of the ten fillies who are set to face the gate in the C$51,200 Silver Reign Series finale, six have captured preliminary divisions, making Monday evening’s clash at Woodbine a wide open affair.

Included in the mix will be first leg victors Bella Fame, Armbro Bracken and Pauls Peanut, to go along with Fits Of Laughter, Briars Luck and Lola J, who paced winning miles in the second leg.

Slated to go as race five (9:04 p.m.), the sixth annual Silver Reign Series final for Ontario-sired non-winners of C$30,000 lifetime as of October 31, 2003, will be part of coast-to-coast coverage in Canada on the SCORE television network.

Bruno Comenga’s Bella Fame has drawn the two hole and trainer Nicky Comenga has listed driver Mike Saftic to be in the sulky.

Winning by three lengths in 1:56 during the opening leg, Bella Fame, a daughter of Apaches Fame—Jackie Seelster, followed up her victorious performance by finishing fourth to Lola J in the second leg. Only having raced once as a two-year-old, Bella Fame has reached the winner’s circle three times so far this year and has also finished third once in her seven dashes.

Armbro Bracken, who is trained by Michael Grant, has drawn post four and has Chris Christoforou down as her listed driver.

Having gone off as a heavily backed filly in both of her preliminary legs, Armbro Bracken cruised to a three and a quarter length victory in 1:56¹ during the opening leg, and finished second to Lola J by a quarter-length in the second leg.

Owned by New Jersey’s Karen Hart and Kiyoshi Sugasawa along with Florida’s Steven Lipman, Armbro Bracken has only missed the board once in 2004, posting a record of 1-2-2 while banking $16,913.

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Fits of Laughter is among the favorites in the Silver Reign Final.

Brittany Farms’ Fits Of Laughter is scheduled to leave from fifth along the gate and trainer Blair Burgess has listed Luc Ouellette to be at her lines.

A Grinfromeartoear filly out of the Jate Lobell mare Armbro Thavage, Fits Of Laughter found the winner’s circle via a two length score in 1:56 in the second leg after finishing fifth in the opening round. Sporting a record of 2-0-2 from six starts, Fits Of Laughter has raced to $19,360 in seasonal earnings, while having bankrolled $23,548 overall.

Starting one spot down from Fits Of Laughter is opening round victor Pauls Peanut, who will again have her trainer Doug Brown as pilot.

Co-owned by Brown along with Ontario’s Paul Pryne and Alberta’s Jackson Wittup, Pauls Peanut will be looking for her third score in her fifth start of the year on Monday. A daughter of Run The Table—Allamerican Craft, Pauls Peanut seeks to add significantly to her $10,590 bankroll that she has accumulated so far this year.

Adding to the logjam of winners leaving from the middle of the gate, Briars Luck will exit post seven and Randy Waples has been listed to drive.

After finishing second by three lengths in the opening leg, Waples led Briars Luck to a one and a quarter length score in 1:55³ in the second leg. Trained by Mark Austin for owner Michael Cecile, Briars Luck’s Silver Reign dashes have been her only of 2004 and she has extracted $9,605 in earnings from them. Her 1:55³ mile in the second round was the fastest recorded mile of the series so far.

Waples has also been listed on the nine horse -– Lola J -– by trainer Richard Webb.

After missing the first leg of the series, Lola J came on last Monday to score by a quarter length in 1:56³. Owned by Paul Jackson of Bobcaygeon, Ontario, the daughter of Dexter Nukes—Armbro Ocala has compiled a 1-3-0 record from seven starts this campaign. The bay has earned $26,726 in her career; $12,999 of which has come from this year.

The rest of the field for the final of the Silver Reign Series is as follows:

PP – Horse – Listed Driver – Trainer

1 – Tosexyforthedriver – C. Christoforou – B. MacDonald

2 – Bella Fame – M. Saftic – N. Comegna

3 – Paradise Of Grins – M. Saftic – W. Budd

4 – Armbro Bracken – C. Christoforou – M. Grant

5 – Fits Of Laughter – L. Ouellette – B. Burgess

6 – Pauls Peanut – Do. Brown – Do. Brown

7 – Briars Luck – Ra. Waples – M. Austin

8 – Temptation Island – TBA – J. Burns

9 – Lola J – Ra. Waples – R. Webb

10 – Electra Dreamer – Ph. Hudon – T. Montini

AE1 – Armbro Bell – L. Ouellette – T. McCorkle