Reel did all the roadwork in Monday’s $11,500 Preferred 2 & 3 Handicap for horse and gelding pacers at The Raceway at Western Fair District, but it was Artistic Pick who got the last laugh by turning a two-hole trip into a 5-1 upset.

Colin Kelly mapped out the sweet trip for Artistic Pick, who shadowed Reel through fractions of :29.1, :58.4 and 1:28.1. Kelly hustled his charge to the outside in the lane and used a :29.3 closing panel to win by three-quarters of a length over Reel in 1:58. Race favourite Acting Out was third.

Trainer Kyle Bossence shares ownership on the five-year-old son of Artistic Fella-Presidents Pick with his brother, Brandon Arsenault. Together they watched the gelding improve his 2019 record to 2-2-1 from six trips to the track. The 12-time winner is quickly closing in on $100,000 in career earnings.

The Monday evening program also saw Hopetobefirst extend his winning streak to six-in-a-row thanks to a 1:58 triumph in a $6,600 claiming event.

The Danielle Neil trainee shot to the top from Post 7 and driver Marc St. Louis cut out fractions of :29, :59.3 and 1:28.1 before using a :29.4 closing quarter to seal the deal. Hopetobefirst won by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:58.

Sent off as the odds-on favourite, the 11-year-old son of Sagebrush-Hopetobebest improved this year’s record to 6-0-2 from nine tries for owner Stewart McQueen of Sarnia, Ont. The 36-time winner has banked just shy of $275,000 in his career.

To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – The Raceway at Western Fair District.