Favourite players have good days and bad days. Very rarely do they have a day like they did on Sunday at Flamboro Downs, when all ten races on the card were captured by the race favourites. Par Intended ($3.00) was the feature winner on the card, capturing the evening’s (March 18) $8,500 Preferred 3 Pace.
Woodbine invader Par Intended, one of three to vie for the early lead, yielded initially to 22-1 outsider Mister X (Robert Shepherd) before Doug McNair moved him back to the front at the completion of a :28 first quarter. Par Intended then rated a :30 second-quarter breather while bracing for a stout first-over challenge from Arrived Late (Scott Coulter).
Arrived Late stuck a neck in front with three-eighths to go, but Par Intended responded in kind to rebuff his foe after a :28.3 third-quarter duel. The seven-year-old No Pan Intended gelding steadfastly reclaimed the lead with three-sixteenths to go, and was chased after in the home straight to keep pocket rival Mister X three-quarters of a length at bay for a 1:56.1 score. Mercenary (George Ketros) was a ground-saving third over the flattening Arrived Late.
Brian Lee trains Par Intended, now a 19-time winner, for Jim McPhail of Calgary.
The ten races were all won by the post-time pari-mutuel faves, with the highest win price on the entire card being Monty Mono in the fifth race, yielding $5.80 for a $2 ticket.
To view Sunday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results – Flamboro Downs.