Trotters were in the spotlight Thursday evening at Flamboro Downs, as Canada’s fastest half-miler hosted a set of Preferred tilts for the square-gaiters.

 

The $11,000 Preferred 2 went to race favourite Hldontghtoyurdrms and driver Alfie Carroll in gate-to-wire fashion.

 

The Richard Moreau pupil fired to the top from Post 4 and never looked back through fractions of :27.2, :58.2 and 1:28. He used a :29.3 closing panel to seal the by 1-1/4 lengths over Ole Jack Magic in 1:57.3. Dead-heating for the show spot were Little Red Chev and Seeyou Men.

 

Sent off the 6-5 choice in the six-horse affair, the eight-year-old son of Muscles Yankee-Sweet Gabriella scored for owner Frank Spagnolo of Ottawa, Ont. The gelding is a 27-time winner with more than $420,000 in lifetime earnings.

 

Fireworks went off in the $7,500 Preferred 3 thanks to a 29-1 upset for Hetties Commander and driver Bruce Richardson.

 

The gelding sat a two-hole trip behind Avuncular before edging out late to beat that foe by a length in 1:58.3. Giona rounded out the top three finishers in the nine-horse trotting affair.

 

Trainer Mike Rivest co-owns the six-year-old son of The Pres-Hetties Dream with Gary Silliphant and Denis Rivest. The partners watched the seven-time winner go over $70,000 in career earnings with the victory.