Keep It Real, Ideal Race win Willowdale splits

Keep It Real and Ideal Race, a pair of top-rated three-year-olds from last season, drew first blood in this year’s Willowdale Pacing Series for four-year-olds on Saturday nightduring another frigid evening at Woodbine Racetrack.

Keep It Real took no prisoners in the opening $35,000 division,jetting straight to the front from post nine for Paul MacDonell and wiring the field in 1:52. The four-year-old son of Real Artist - Magical Leah repelled the pocket-sitting Panmunjom who narrowly edged out Mysticism
for the show spot.

Keep It Real, who finished third in last season’s $1.5 million Pepsi North America Cup, now has eight career wins and just over $339,000 inearnings to his credit for trainer Joey Shea and owner Wayne Whebby of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. He returned $7.40 for the win.

In the second split, Ideal Race rallied impressively from well off the pace to haul down heavy favourite Handsome Harry right at the wire in 1:52.4. Fire On The Water came through late to land the show spot.

Ideal Race, trained by Tracy Brainard was making his first start of the season after winning six times and banking $251,042 last season forBulletproof Enterprises of Boca Raton, Florida. The son of Western Terror - Eidette Hanover returned $10.30 in the mild upset victory.

The Willowdale Pacing Series will continue with third-round action next Saturday night at Woodbine. (WEG)

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