Zeron drives Lost In Time to victory in $816,000 Metro Pace final

“We weren’t an elimination winner . . . I just think we had the best horse in the race today with the best trip.”

Zeron’s first Pace title came three years ago with heavily-favoured Artspeak.

Lost In Time posted a time of 1:50.1 on a fast track to claim the $408,000 winner’s share. Hayden Hanover, driven by Yannick Gingras of Sorel, Que., held on for second while Pedro Hanover — one of last weekend’s three elimination winners and the 9/5 race favourite — finished third in the 10-horse field.

Lost In Time paid $8.20, $4.80 and $3.20 while Hayden Hanover returned $22.20 and $6.90. Pedro Hanover returned $2.80.

Gingras took Hayden Hanover from the No. 10 hole to the lead from the start and was third at the halfway point. But after falling to fifth after three-quarters of a mile, Hayden Hanover found another gear down the stretch to earn his surprising finish.

“I didn’t anticipate Yannick’s horse leaving out of there,” Zeron said. “But you have to think some things like that are going to happen in these major races.

“I wanted to control the pace and at worst sit in the two hole and it kind of ended up that way. The two-hole trip worked out good.”

It was the second win in four career starts for Lost In Time, who has finished no worse than second in a race. The Pace victory was also sweet redemption for trainer/co-owner James Mulinix, who was forced to settle for second in 2011 when A Rocknroll Dance was the runner-up to 20/1 longshot Simply Business.

Ironically, A Rocknroll Dance is Lost In Time’s sire.

“That makes up for it with Rock,” Mulinix said. “I didn’t have the experience then and (Rocknroll Dance) gave me the experience to do it with this horse.

“I bought this horse just to show Rock could do it and it worked out. I’m really thankful and quite humbled by the whole thing.”

Earlier on Saturday’s card, Louis Philippe Roy of Mont-Joli, Que., drove 40/1 longshot Youaremycandygirl to a stunning win in the $500,000 Shes A Great Lady final for two-year-old pacing fillies. Youaremycandygirl earned her fourth win in six starts and posted a career-best time of 1:50.4 to secure the $250,000 winner’s share.

Youaremycandygirl began the race from the No. 8 post but Roy took the filly to the lead from the start, with 4/5 favourite Kendall Seelster and driver Randy Waples of Milton, Ont., settling in behind after starting on the rail. They remained 1-2 coming down the stretch but Kendall Seelster couldn’t overtake the determined winner.

“I had a lot of horse in the last turn,” Roy said. ” I thought if I could get her to go around that turn that she’d be hard to beat.

“Behind the gate I was planning to race her from behind but I changed my mind pretty quick because nobody was leaving inside of me. So I just gave her a shot and she responded well.”

Kendall Seelster finished second while Come See The Show, at 5/1 odds, was third in the eight-horse field. Youaremycandygirl paid $82.70, $17.10 and $6.30 while Kendall Seelster returning $2.90 and $2.40.

Come See The Show returned $3.80.

The American-bred Youaremycandygirl earned her fourth win in six starts this year and driving younger horses has been a learning experience for Roy.

“I wasn’t used to driving that much with young horses,” he said. “So when I started to drive them at the beginning of the year I was probably one of the worst drivers.

“But I think I’ve learned a lot.”

Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Zeron drives Lost In Time to victory in $816,000 Metro Pace final

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