Western Fair: Hellabalou leads throughout in capturing Camluck Classic

Hellabalou took advantage drawing post one to get the lead with little dispute and put in a rock-solid performance after that to win Friday night's C$150,000 Camluck Classic for older male pacers at The Raceway at Western Fair District.

Driver Louis-Philippe Roy sighted Hellabalou right to the top from the word go while Blue Hunt (Travis Cullen) and Linedrive Hanover (James MacDonald) also showed speed from posts three and six, respectively. However, with Poseidon Seelster (Bob McClure) following Hellabalou through from the trailing post, he was able to protect position and force Blue Hunt and Linedrive Hanover to tuck in behind before the 26 4/5 opening quarter.

Blue Hunt made another move on the second turn to test the waters first-over, giving Linedrive Hanover cover to the half in 56 seconds and the three-quarters in 1:23 3/5, but Blue Hunt began to back up on the last turn, sending Linedrive Hanover three-wide at the midway point of the bend. Linedrive Hanover made steady gains after being fed the clear racetrack three-wide, but Hellabalou had the jump and held sway safely by three-quarters of a length in 1:51 1/5. Poseidon Seelster held third, Dragononthebeach (Tyler Borth) collected fourth and Blue Hunt salvaged fifth.

"James kind of got into a tough spot because he had the six-hole, and I was able to control the race. That horse makes it so easy for you to do it. He snapped off the gate really fast, and then the second quarter was 29 1/5. It's not every horse that can be really aggressive off the gate and then slow down for you and relax for a quarter. He's a horse really suited for a half-mile.

"I was really confident. When I let mine pace around the last turn, I said 'it's probably over' because it was like he was off the gate again. He just went 100, but I was still hearing Linedrive coming. I was surprised how Linedrive can be fast for a little piece as well. The fact that he had to go around everyone made it a little easier for us, but it doesn't take anything off Hellabalou because he's a pretty nice horse."

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A 6-year-old Sweet Lou stallion bred by Andray Farm and Sergent Stables LLC., Hellabalou won for the 28th time in his career and has now earned C$1,542,766. Ron Burke trains Hellabalou, who paid $3.80 to win as the 4-5 favorite, for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Eric Good, Weaver Bruscemi LLC. and Larry Karr.

This was Burke's fifth win in the Camluck Classic, a record total.

So Much More (MacDonald) forged her way into the lead off dull cover past three-quarters in the companion C$50,000 Forest City Invitational for older pacing mares and went on to tally by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:53 flat. Talk Curdy To Me (Roy) followed So Much More's cover but had to settle for second and Gias Surreal (McClure), who posted fractions of 27, 56 1/5 and 1:24 3/5 after she made front from the outside post seven, ended up third.

Trainer Don Beatson shares ownership of So Much More, an 8-year-old mare by Big Jim, with partners Ken Beatson and Cole England. So Much More, nicknamed "Canada's Pacing Queen" and back-to-back O'Brien Award winner, was bred by Doug MacPhee, has 72 lifetime triumphs and has pocketed C$1,657,827.