by Jeff Renton, media/communications, Woodbine Entertainment Group

Toronto, ON — According to trainer Stan Atkinson, Astreos horse Matty McGee is in fine form heading into Saturday evening’s (March 17) C$67,000 final of the Cam Fella Pacing Series for 3- and 4-year-olds at Woodbine.

“I would say that over the last year and a half that I’ve trained ‘Matty,’ this is probably the fittest and soundest that he’s been,” Atkinson, 31, said about the 4-year-old who will be facing off against nine rivals in the docket’s eighth race (10:07 p.m.).

After having worked with Paula Wellwood’s operation prior to starting out on his own in December of 2005, the resident of Mount Forest, Ontario knows a little something about having a horse ready when their name gets dropped into the box.

So far in ’07, Matty McGee (post eight, Anthony MacDonald, 7-2) has started seven times, notching three victories, two second place finishes and a lone third place effort, good for $33,852 of his $116,977 in career purse earnings.

After triumphing in a division of the second leg, Matty will have to be on his game for the final, as he is scheduled to line up against opening round victor JK Bigshot (post five, Mark MacDonald, 4-1) and Sea Dragon (post six, Phil Hudon, 5-2), who will be searching for a sweep of the three-week series.

Although the competition appears fierce, Atkinson is keeping his focus on his charge.

“In the opening leg, (driver Anthony MacDonald) put him on the front to see how brave he would be, and even though he didn’t win, it worked out for him,” Atkinson said about his student, who carved all the fractions before being beaten 1-1/4 lengths, pacing in 1:53.1. “There was a strong headwind facing him in the final quarter that night. Anthony said he opened him up down the backside and told me after the race that he thought he was home, but in the last 100 yards he got pretty weak. The fact that he had been away from the big track for a while also may have played a factor.”

Even though it wasn’t in the mix, Matty McGee found himself on the front again in the second leg, and this time the result was much different.

“We didn’t want to race him off the front again, but he’s the type of horse that when he gets brave and puts two or three good races together he swells up pretty well,” Atkinson said of the nine-time winner, who went to the lead after the opening quarter and drew off in a 4-1/2 length victory clocked in 1:53.2. “I told Anthony to take his shot with him if (there wasn’t a hot pace) and he could get to the front without using him hard. Once he got up to the front, he was a lot tighter and was under wraps at the wire.”

Along with the Wellwoods, Atkinson is quick to credit Val Spar Stables for the supportive push in his current training endeavor. Val Spar Stables co-own Matty McGee along with fellow Ontario resident Kenneth Raspin.

“I feel confident with him,” Atkinson concluded. “He’s a better horse from off the pace and likes to race that way. I would think we would try to get spotted somewhere with the horse and hope that there is some flow in the race.

“I’ve had different drivers like Paul MacDonell, Luc Ouellette and Anthony MacDonald all tell me that he has some of the fastest gate speed of any horse they’ve been behind. When he snaps off the gate, he’s gone.”

Cam Fella Pacing Series Final

Post Position – Horse – Driver – Trainer – Morning Line Odds
1 – Kindly Poet – Ra. Waples – M. Brethour – 6-1
2 – Jeremy Sharky – M. Saftic – R. McNair – 10-1
3 – Jersey Dan – P. MacDonell – T. O’Sullivan – 8-1
4 – El Toro Grande – L. Ouellette – K. McMaster – 5-1
5 – JK Big Shot – Ma. Macdonald – R. Moreau – 4-1
6 – Sea Dragon – Ph. Hudon – S. Kerwood – 5-2
7 – The Perfect Escape – J. Jamieson – T. MacDonnell – 8-1
8 – Matty McGee – A. MacDonald – S. Atkinson – 7-2
9 – Armbro Domi – R. Zeron – G. Gordon – 12-1
10 – Object Of Art – J. Moiseyev – D. McIntosh – 15-1
AE1 – Siddall – Ph. Hudon – M. Brealey – 15-1

Note: All horses will be racing from the Retention Barn.