The Don Mills series is for four and five-year-old trotters that are non-winner of $150,000 lifetime as of Dec. 31, 2012.
Burnin Money ($2.30) opened Friday's 11-race card with a 1:55.2 victory for driver Jonathan Drury and trainer Carmen Auciello.
The 1-9 favourite swept from third to first after the :27.3 opening quarter and cruised through middle fractions of :57.3 and 1:27 en route to the one and a half length score. Mego Moss (Billy Davis Jr.) rallied off cover to place and early leader P L Fantastic (Dan Clements) finished third.
Burnin Money now boasts a seasonal record reading 5-1-3 in 11 starts with earnings totalling $77,760. The five-year-old Cash Hall gelding is owned by Wheelhouse Racing Stable of Mississauga, Ont.
Driven by Sylvain Filion, Holy Halibut ($3.70) won the second division in 1:55.4 over a track downgraded to 'good' for trainer Stephane Bardier.
The wide-leaving Nowucit Nowudont (Scott Zeron) cleared in front of 4-5 favourite Holy Halibut into the first turn and led the way past fractions of :27.4, :57.1, and 1:25.4. As the field entered the stretch, the leader made a break leaving Holy Halibut to pick up the victory over a pair of Richard Moreau trainees, first and second over Star Photo (Keith Oliver) and Tymal Colossus (James MacDonald).
The five-year-old Holy Guacamolie gelding has put together a record reading 4-2-2 in 11 starts this year with $62,048 earned in purses for BRQ Racing of Azilda, Ont.
The second leg of the series is scheduled for next Saturday, April 20 and the $40,000 final will be held on the following Saturday, April 27.