Winbak News

NEWS AND INSIGHT ON WINBAK FARM

Read below for the latest on Winbak Achievements and graduates.
Stories are from the leading industry news sources.

 

Venus Delight became harness racing's newest millionaire with a mild 9-1 upset victory in the Betsy Ross Mares Invitational Pace.

 

Bamond Racing's six-year-old Bettors Delight-Venus Killean mare earned her first win of the year in the rich Invitational, but 26th lifetime, and pushed her bankroll to $1,043,432.

 

Venus Delight, with Tim Tetrick catch-driving, was among a trio of early leavers from post three and settled in behind Devil Child (Brian Sears), who crossed ahead firing just to her outside into the first turn. Sell A Bit N (Jordan Stratton) also left well from post seven and tucked in third.

 

However, Yagonnakissmeornot (Dan Dube) was on the move early before the quarter pole, which was reached in :26.4, and rushed up from fourth to clear in front of the grandstand. Meanwhile, Sassa Hanover (Matt Kakaley) began to lead the outer flow.

 

Yagonnakissmeornot continued to front the mares through middle splits of :55.2 and 1:22.4 while Sassa Hanover advanced up to second-place down the backstretch, but stalled prompting 9-5 favourite Katie Said (Brett Miller) to fan wide of her cover.

 

Katie Said engaged in a duel with Yagonnakissmeornot turning for home and pulled ahead in the stretch while other contenders began to close in. Among them, Venus Delight was moved off the pylons and rallied outside to steal the spotlight in a 1:50.4 victory. Katie Said finished two and a half lengths behind in second, with Sell A Bit N third over Waasmula (Trevor Henry). Devil Child was fifth.

 

“If you’re going to get a first win of the year, this is a good one to get,” said trainer Jeff Bamond Jr. “I think she just came back a little slowly. She had a long year last year; she raced hard and just needed to get her legs under her a little bit. This definitely worked out today.

 

“Timmy made a great move and she just exploded today. I was very happy with the way it worked out.”

 

Venus Delight paid $20.40 to win for the mild upset.