In this week’s $34,000 Preferred Pace, Boomboom Ballykeel (Sylvain Filion) pulled off a mild upset as he defeated favourites Nirvana Seelster (Rick Zeron), Canada’s fastest horse of the year courtesy of his 1:49.1 victory in this class last week, and Nickle Bag (Trevor Henry), the nation’s richest horse of the season with five prior Preferred wins.

Last through first-half fractions of :26.4 and :55, Boomboom Ballykeel followed the cover of Wazzup Wazzup (Randy Waples) during the third panel. The pacesetting Nirvana Seelster continued to lead the field of six by three-quarters in 1:23.2 and into the stretch, but Boomboom Ballykeel out-sprinted him to the wire, closing in :27.1 to prevail by three-quarters of a length in 1:51.2. Nickle Bag, who was shuffled to the backfield, came on for third.

Boomboom Ballykeel, a runner-up last week to Nirvana Seelster, paid $13.50 to win as the 5-1 third choice in the wagering.

Boomboom Ballykeel’s first Preferred victory on the WEG circuit was his 17th career win and pushed his career earnings over $685,000. Richard Moreau trains the Mach Three-Teig N Riley five-year-old for owner/breeder Ballykeel Racing Inc. of Tillsonburg, Ont.

The win was the first of three on the card through seven races for Moreau and Filion.

(Standardbred Canada)