Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Inexperienced four-year-old Bettors Pride enhanced his prospects of winning the $200,000 Golden Nugget on November 7 when he gave star reinsman Shannon Suvaljko an armchair drive in the $25,000 Remembering Josh Dunn Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Bettors Pride’s two length victory over Star Casino gave Suvaljko his third win from the opening three events on the ten-event program, following his successes with En Pariant Sur and Chilli Punter.
Bettors Pride, the $2.30 favourite, dashed straight to the front from the No. 6 barrier and he was not extended in setting a solid pace before sprinting over the final 400m sections in 28.7sec. and 27.7sec. to record a 1.56.7 rate, with Suvaljko not bothering to release the ear plugs.
Bettors Pride, trained by Mike Reed, is a highly talented and versatile pacer who has raced only eleven times for six wins, one second placings and earning $65,354 in stakes.
Reed is planning to give Bettors Pride a spell in the near future before bringing him back into work to have him fit and ready for the $125,000 Four-Year-Old Classic over 2130m on October 24, with the Golden Nugget to follow a fortnight later.
Star Casino maintained his splendid form for trainer Ray Williams and reinsman Aldo Cortopassi when he began from out wide at barrier eight and fought on determinedly after racing wide early and then without cover in the breeze.
Golden Lode, who began from the No. 9 barrier, also impressed when he was ninth at the bell and flew home out wide on the track to finish an eye-catching third.