With the 2016 Olympic Games getting underway this weekend, horseplayers looking for a hunch bet at Killarney on Sunday (August 7) didn't have to look very hard to find a pacer named Western Olympian going for his second straight victory in the Open.
The eight-year-old Western Hanover gelding delivered as the odds-on favourite in the featured $1,850 Open Pace, but it was a close call. Driven by Glenn Le Drew for trainer/owner Shawn Worthen, Western Olympian led the field through fractions of :29.3, 1:00.2 and 1:31.2 with False Advertising pulling the pocket to offer up a late challenge. However, Western Olympian held on for the victory by a head in 2:02.1 -- matching his mile time from a week ago in which he had won by six open lengths. Cabo Real finished two lengths behind in third.
The victory was Western Olympian's 25th lifetime and bumped his bankroll to $135,374.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Killarney.