Mercutio In Control In London Preferred

Mercutio with Scott ‘The Answer’ Young aboard. (Racehorsephoto)

Mercutio earned his first victory of the season with a commanding effort in the $12,500 Preferred Handicap Trot over a surface rated good at The Raceway at the Western Fair District on Tuesday, May 19.

Mercutio won the the first time in four starts this year after hitting the board twice at Flamboro Downs and finishing fourth at Woodbine Mohawk Park last out. Shane Arsenault of Freelton, Ont. owns and trains the son of Bar Hopping-Frisky Magic, who is now 21-for-97 lifetime with earnings of $260,877. The win price was $4.50.

Owner/trainer/breeder Greg Drew with Skip The Honey and driver Garrett Rooney. (Raceway Photo)

Skip The Honey headlined three $8,000 second-round divisions of the London Classic Sale Series for horses and geldings as the four-year-old took the faster pacing split for his fifth straight victory. Sent off as the 1-9 favourite, Skip The Honey was last off the gate in the field of five but moved up to fourth on the first turn as they raced to the quarter in :28.3. Garrett Rooney activated the gelding, an eight-length winner in the first leg, as they went by the grandstand and had him marching towards leader J M Mazingan (Brett MacDonald) through the half in :59. Those two went nose-to-nose past three-quarters in 1:27.2 and around the last turn, and Skip The Honey kicked clear as they straightened into the stretch on the way to a 1-3/4-length victory in 1:56.4. Over Bet (Mark MacDonell) came out of the pocket for second over J M Mazingan.

Skip The Honey is perfect in four starts at four after winning his second of two three-year-old appearances. Greg Drew of Merlin, Ont. owns, trains and bred the son of All Bets Off-Homegrown Honey, who is now five-for-six with $21,000 in earnings. The win price was $2.10.

Standardbred Canada Recap - standardbredcanada.ca/news/5-19-26/mercutio-control-london-preferred.html