A pair of Preferred events highlighted Friday evening’s card of racing at The Raceway at Western Fair District, and fans were almost treated to a track record-equalling performance in one of them.
O Narutac Perfetto came within one-fifth of a second from matching the track standard for older trotting geldings when he blew away Preferred 3 foes in an eye-catching clocking of 1:56.1.
Scott Coulter brushed the veteran to the lead shortly past the quarter pole, and after leading through middle panels of :57.4 and 1:26.1 it was O Narutac Perfetto using a closing quarter of :30 to win by 12-1/4 lengths over Katch Kanna. Charmbo Prince was third.
Sent off as the even-money favourite, the 10-year-old son of Deweycheatumnhowe-Aiken For Clay posted his third win of the season and the 28th of his career. Dean Nixon trains the career winner of $573,803 for owner Tony Basile of Toronto, Ont.
Laila Blue turned a pocket trip into a 1:56.1 triumph in the $10,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred 3 class for the tandem of driver Tyler Borth and trainer Gord McDonnell.
Manhattan Night carved out fractions of :28.2, :58 and 1:26.2, but couldn’t fend off Laila Blue who kicked home in :29.3 to win by a length over Manhattan Night. The show dough went to the odds-on favourite, Settn A Precedent.
Gord McDonnell and Douglas Good share ownership on the four-year-old daughter of Art Major-Delightful Diva. She now owns a 4-4-4 record from 22 starts this season. The seven-time winner has banked close to $90,000 to date.
To view results for Friday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Friday Results – The Raceway at Western Fair District.