Trotters kicked off the action as a field of nine
three-year-old colts and geldings were sent to battle in the
$105,000 Su Mac Lad Championship. Starting the night with a bang
Jerry and Tom Graham’s
Powerful Speed overcame a tough first over trip to post a
one-length victory in a career best of 1:55.3 over a track
listed as fast despite heavy rain early in the day.

Ranging up first over to engage the heavy favourite Rock
Hollywood (Dave Magee) after that colt had led through splits of
:28.1 and :57.4 driver Todd Warren had Powerful Speed in a
perfect spot as the field reached the three-quarter-mile mark in
1:27.4.
“I was actually hoping to get away a little farther back than
we did,” said Warren. “But my colt felt good out there and I
certainly wanted to give him every chance in the world to get a
clear shot at the leader.”
Cruising by a tiring Rock Hollywood in the lane Powerful
Speed overtook the chalk and quickly began to draw clear as he
rolled to his fifth win in 16 starts this season. Muscatine
(Dale Whiteman), who wound up trapped along the inside for most
of the mile, finally shook loose in time to finish second while
Somore Set (Mike Ousting) overcame a very rough trip from the
nine hole to finish third.
After winning his first Super Night Championship an excited
Warren was singing the praises of conditioner Thomas Graham, Jr.
“This horse has really been getting home well for the past
two months or so,” said Warren. “That’s why I wasn’t afraid to
come first up with him. “Buzzy has had him razor sharp and it
showed tonight.”
Sent off at odds of 6-1, the son of Another American-Pine
Bough returned $14.60.