Mohawk: Betting Line overcomes traffic, post ten to win Simcoe

Betting Line will be heading into the Little Brown Jug with an 11-race win streak after a 1:49 1/5 victory in the single C$204,040 Simcoe Stakes division for 3-year-old colt pacers on Saturday night at Mohawk.

Lyons Snyder (Yannick Gingras), making his first stakes start for trainer Jimmy Takter, led through hot fractions of 27, 54, and 1:20 4/5. Meanwhile, Betting Line (David Miller) was mired back in fifth behind a gapping Major Hill (Jody Jamieson) in the opening-half. He got around that horse at three-quarters, but still had over eight lengths to make up on Lyons Snyder.

In the stretch Betting Line hit his best stride and began to gain ground on Lyons Snyder, who was under a drive from Gingras. Inside the final stages of the mile, Betting Line would get up to prevail by half a length. Voracity (Corey Callahan) took third.

"I know Dave is supremely confident in Betting Line, but I was still getting a little bit nervous," said winning co-owner Steve Calhoun. "Like all great horses, Betting Line just refuses to lose. He dug in down the stretch and won again, so I'm very pleased.

"I never dreamed it would turn out like this. He was a very good 2-year-old, but I didn't expect him to turn around like this as a 3-year-old. He's been absolutely phenomenal."

Casie Coleman trains Betting Line, a colt by Blue Chip Farms stallion Bettor's Delight, for owners West Wins Stable, Chris Calhoun, and Mac Nichol. This was the 17th career victory for Betting Line, who has earned C$1,831,942 in his career. He returned $2.30 as the 1-9 choice.