It was worth the drive to Elora on Monday for trainer/driver Per Henriksen, who wound up sweeping the Preferred events for trotters at Grand River Raceway.
The veteran horseman guided In Secret to a 1:56.1 triumph in the $11,000 Preferred 2, and the pair did so in come-from-behind fashion. The gelding rode cover from second-over behind race favourite Unabating before using a :28.4 closing panel to charge past that foe in the closing strides. In Secret got up to win by a neck over Unabating, with Call Me Richard finishing a distant third.
The four-year-old son of Deweycheatumnhowe-Secret Magic is owned by Andrea Lea Racingstables Inc of Lakefield Gore, QC and ASA Farm of Norwood, Ont. That’s back-to-back wins for the 12-time winner who improved this year’s record to 7-0-2 from 17 trips postward. The career winner of $161,370 has put more than $75,000 on his card this season.
Stablemate Covert Operative was a down-the-road winner in the $7,500 Preferred 3 for the same ownership group. Henriksen hustled the gelding to the lead from Post 3 and together they led the group through fractions of :28.3, :59.3 and 1:30 before steamrolling home in :28.4 to win by a length over race favourite Bags For All in 1:58.4. Sandy Hook Road took home the show dough.
The four-year-old son of Deweycheatumnhowe-Serenas Genie now owns a 2-4-3 record from 18 starts this season. The homebred is a seven-time winner with more than $224,000 in the bank.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Grand River Raceway.