Driven by Ron Pierce, Winbak Speed seized command on the opening turn and held off the late rally of Boulder Creek to win the fifth race Presidential division by a length in 1:51.2. Beau Rivage finished two lengths behind in third. Winbak Speed paid $3.20 to win the featured fifth race.
“I looked to my left, no one was leaving,” Pierce said. “I looked to my right and no one was leaving, so I decided to go. He just floated down the backstretch. He was very relaxed. Around the last turn, I just let everyone catch up to me. I didn’t have to chase him at all. I was trying to save some for the final next week.”
The 6-year-old pacer was a $30,000 claim by Delaware-based trainer Wayne Givens and Niel Gargiulo nearly one year ago at Dover Downs. The son of Village Jove was originally a $15,000 SUNY Morrisville yearling purchase. Winbak Speed hit the board in 17 of 30 starts in 2008, winning seven races and $173,080. He is a perfect three-for-three in 2009.
Its That Time, with Dan Dube in the sulky, got up in the final strides to win the second Presidential division in 1:51. Soul Chaser and Western Shore were a close second and third, respectively. Its That Time posted his first win in three starts this season. Mark Kesmodel trains the 4-year-old son of Real Artist for Bulletproof Enterprises of Boca Raton, FL.
The three-week Presidential Series culminates in a $125,000 final on Saturday, January 24. (Meadowlands)