London invader Farmers Tuition swept to command after the early leader made a break and held on to win the $12,500 Fillies & Mares Preferred Pace at Western Fair
Raceway on Wednesday.
After facing Open mares at Woodbine Racetrack two starts ago at odds of 42-1 with little success from an outside post position, Farmers Tuition delivered as the 6-5 favourite from Post 4 at the London half-miler with Robert Sparling Jr. in the sulky.
Farmers Tuition advanced first over from fifth after the :28.2 opening quarter and took over the lead past the :59.2 midway point when Victom Of Love (Alfred Carroll) made a break, which caused interference to half of the field. The advancing Putnam MacKenzie (Trevor Henry) avoided the breaker and went head-to-head with the favourite as they raced by three-quarters in 1:28.4, but Farmers Tuition drew clear into the stretch and held off Passion R Virginie (David Dowling) coming on from the three-path to win in 1:57.4. Putnam MacKenzie settled for third.
Farmers Tuition paid $4.50 to win for the fourth time in nine 2012 starts. The six-year-old Apaches Fame-Holy Creek mare was bred by trainer Barry Bird and Debbie Bird of Harrow, Ont., who co-owns with Gerrie Tucker of Montreal, Que. Farmers Tuition has won 18 times in her career while banking $257,906.
To view Wednesday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Wednesday Results - Western Fair Raceway.