Pugwash horse wins ninth straight race

MONTREAL, Que. - Pugwash horse owner Paul Gray continues to enjoy success with his five-year-old pacing horse, Hilo, who stepped to his ninth straight victory last Sunday afternoon at Hippodrome de Montreal. Hilo won a $9,000 feature at the Quebec racetrack with a front-running two and one-quarter length decision in 1:55.4. They are starting to give him a little respect, said Gray, who traveled to Montreal to watch the gelded son of Grinfromeartoear post his latest victory. In previous races, they tried to park him out, but last Sunday, when Hilo made his move, the front runner yielded without a fight, said Gray. Hilo has been on a tear since November when Gray took the horse from Truro Raceway to the stable of trainer Pierre Touchette in Montreal. He is 9-1-0 in 11 starts under Touchettes care and has won six of those races by over six lengths, including nine in a row. Hilo was featured on the cover of the Montreal race program last Sunday. The horse has been so dominant that the track does not permit show betting on his races. Hilo, now a 23-time lifetime winner, paid only $2.10 to win last Sunday - the lowest possible mutual payoff. Hilo, who is driven by Gilles Dion, has increased his lifetime earnings to $72,082. Ive had a couple of attractive offers to sell him, but I havent yet received an offer I cant refuse, said Gray, who has owned horses for 40 years. He says hes never owned a horse that has run up such a winning streak, although he has owned a couple of Maritime stakes champions. Gray said the plan is to keep racing Hilo on the Quebec circuit for a couple of more months before giving him a rest before he returns to the Maritime invitational ranks. Gray added to his standardbred holdings recently when he acquired the five-year-old Life Sign pacer St. Pete Star, who has a record of 1:52.3 on a half-mile track. St. Pete Star will also be heading for the Maritimes this summer. Notes: John Nauss of Shinimicas has acquired a new stallion for his standardbred breeding farm. Nauss has acquired Clowns Tears, a son of world champion Cambest, who will stand for a fee of $750 this year. Clowns Tears has a 1:50.4 record.