The second choice in the betting, Buttermilk Hanover clung to a narrow victory in the $10,500 Fillies and Mares Preferred 2 Pace at The Raceway at Western Fair District on Tuesday (March 17), a night where the evening’s total handle reached near-record levels.

Landing on the front past a :28.1 first quarter, Buttermilk Hanover endured slight first-over pressure from Top Royal heading to a :58.1 half and through three-quarters in 1:26.4. Casimir Swamp Girl meanwhile raced from the pocket, waiting for room moving into the stretch. Buttermilk Hanover began to drift from the pegs approaching the finish, giving Casimir Swamp Girl an opening to dash through as Top Royal faltered from contention. At the finish Buttermilk Hanover kept a head in front of Casimir Swamp Girl in a 1:56.2 mile while Top Royal and Sirius Star hit the line together to finish third in a dead heat.

A seven-year-old mare by Badlands Hanover, Buttermilk Hanover won her fifth race from 10 starts this season and her 28th from 136 overall, earning $351,065. Melissa Lamoureux conditions the $4.50 winner for owners 8113564 Canada Ltd. And Jeffrey Boyd. Robert Shepherd sat in the sulky.

Wagering on the Tuesday program totaled $770,494 through 10 races. The figure comes shy of the handle record set on Dec. 31, 2019 when wagering totaled $795,590. However wagering on the Tuesday card topped the previous handle record set on Dec. 23, 2016 when wagering totaled $765,685 through 16 races.

The heightened handle also comes at a time when several racetracks have closed their meets temporarily as a precautionary measure against the spreading of the novel coronavirus. Dover Downs, The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono and Yonkers Raceway were among the regularly-racing tracks suspended. Only Pompano Park and Northfield Park ran their race cards on Tuesday evening.

In the evening’s co-feature, a $9,400 Fillies and Mares Preferred 3 Pace, Cousin Mary cruised to the lead late to score as the favourite in 2:05.2 going an added distance.

Away fourth through a :27.4 first quarter, Cousin Mary angled off the pylons to follow cover from Alyssa Marie moving to a :58.4 half. Alyssa Marie advanced towards pacesetter Maddys Credit heading towards three-quarters in 1:27.3 and took a slight lead turning into the stretch, but Cousin Mary began to charge off the helmet. Through the stretch Cousin Mary grabbed an clung to the lead as Insincerity rallied from fifth to snag second, finishing three-quarter lengths off the winner. Pocket-sitter Casino Classic took third.

Owned by trainer Jeffrey Williamson, Cousin Mary won her second race from nine starts this season and her 31st from 121 overall, earning $436,663. Daryl Thiessen sat behind the seven-year-old Camluck mare who paid $4.50 to win.

To view Tuesday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Tuesday Results - Western Fair Raceway.