Pierre Lapin put the field to sleep in Race 7 Saturday night under Trevor Simpson
by George
It’s been awhile since trainer Clayton Gray won three races on a card, but that’s just what the seven-time leading trainer at Assiniboia Downs did on Saturday night. Gray won the third race with Sis Draper ($4.80), the fifth with Adieu My Friend ($7.90) and the seventh with Pierre Lapin ($7.60).
Judging by the smiles from Happy Hour Stable in the Winner’s Circle after Pierre Lapin’s victory, the triple felt good. Gray has won three or more races on a card before, just not lately, and maybe this one was just a little more special.
Jockey Alyssa Selman, who we’re not sure has ever won two races on a card here, won the first race on the card with Ring Chest ($3.50) and followed up with a win aboard Gray’s Sis Draper in the third race. Gray has always supported Selman, who doesn’t get a lot of mounts, so it was nice to see them team up for the win. Prayven Badrie rode Gray’s second winner, Adieu My Friend, and former Jamaican champ Trevor Simpson was aboard Pierre Lapin.
Pierre Lapin dueled early in the seventh before putting the field to sleep with slow early fractions, despite being hounded by favourite Ask Eddy, who faded to finish in a dead-heat for third. Media Contact finished second with a good rally after being well back off the slow pace early. He might be a longshot sleeper for your exotic wagers in the longer stakes under the tutelage of trainer Shelley Brown, who also teamed up with Simpson to win the sixth race with Coles Cave ($11.60).
The 20-cent Superfecta in the sixth race paid $1,275.00 for 20 cents with Brown’s horse on top. The $2 Triactor paid $1,221.70. Coles Cave was an overlay, as many of Brown’s horses are despite her fine record of 23-25-17 from 120 starts. She is now tied for leading trainer with Blair Miller, who has compiled a record of 23-7-14 from 71 starts.
The $2 Pick-4 paid $1,020.20, a good payoff considering the prices on the winners in races four through seven were $4.90, $7.90, $11.60 and $7.60. It’s an easy game…
Right?
Next Post Time for Live Racing: 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 25, 2012