Trigger Green (Green Manalishi S) won his third consecutive harness racing competition when he won the $45,000 Balanced Image Final for two-year-old trotters at Hanover Raceway on Saturday (August 24).
He finished third from post five before Bob McClure overtook him on the first stretch of the back straight and the colt took the lead at the quarter-distance in :29.3. Shutter Green made the halfway point in 1:00.4 but had two challengers on the way to three-quarter-distance in 1:31.1 as First Class Rule (Todd Ratchford) finished first and stablemate Sound N Vision (Mark Etsell) made a triple charge.
Shutter Green held his position at the pylons and was able to pull away from the charging duo on the final turn. Captain Suzuki then threatened from the fast lane, but Shutter Green held on and held on to win by half a length in 2:00.4.
Captain Suzuki finished second, three-quarters of a length ahead of First Class Rule in third place.
Shutter Green has won three of five in his rookie season for trainer Etsell, who rode Sound N Vision in the race. Etsell co-owns the newcomer with F. Grant Turner of Georgetown, Peter Porter of Port Dover and Graham Hopkins of Chesley. The colt finished second in his debut in the Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots and was third in a Gold two weeks later, then won his first race in the Mid-Season Final Consolation. He has earned $57,492.
The card featured two secondary invitational events: the Gail Murray Invitational for pacers and the Walker Memorial Invitational for trotters. Gia’s Surreal (So surreal) prevailed against the open competition in the first race and, after a battle of five furlongs, beat Sportsline (Ratchford) by a neck in 1:55.1. It was the millionaire mare’s 37th career victory and her second this season. Don Lindsey trains the eight-year-old.
Charmbo Prince (Royal for life) went to the finish in the Walker Invitation, finishing in 1:59.1, a length ahead of The Great Reset (Lorne House) in second and Cadillac (Trevor Henry) in third. It was Charmbo Prince’s second win of the season in a B-Track Invitational; he also won the Vic Hayter Memorial at Clinton. Pam Forgie trains the seven-year-old gelding, who has won 22 times in his career.
Greatest pleasure (Bettors enjoyLouis-Philippe Roy, 1:56) and Collusion Hanover (Bettors enjoyRoy, 1:56.2) won the fourth leg of the Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots division for three-year-old fillies.
Racing at Hanover Raceway will resume on Saturday, August 31st.
The complete race results can be found Click here.
from Nicholas Barnsdalefor Harnesslink
