Millionaire Whichwaytothebeach made his first ever trip to Grand River Raceway a winning one as he scored in the $12,000 Preferred 2 Pace, which served as the Monday, Sept. 15 feature and finale.

Saddled with the outside post seven, Whichwaytothebeach and driver Daryl Thiessen were able to secure the pocket on the first turn behind 3-5 favourite P L Ozzy (Samuel Fillion), who took the field of eight to the quarter in a blistering :26. The pace remained hot to the half in :54.1 with Whichwaytothebeach pinned in the pocket behind P L Ozzy to three-quarters in 1:22.1 and Reign Supreme (Brett MacDonald) first-over in third.

Reign Supreme retreated just enough on the final turn to allow Whichwaytothebeach to angle out and take aim at P L Ozzy at the top of the stretch. Pacing home in :28.3, Whichwaytothebeach powered clear of P L Ozzy to win by a length in 1:51.1. It was four lengths back to Sportsline (Scott Coulter), who finished in the third spot.

Trained by Garry Merner for owner Gino Toscani of Mount Hope, Ont., Whichwaytothebeach has won five of 26 starts on the year. The seven-year-old gelded son of Somebeachsomewhere-Swinging Beauty is a 29-time career winner with lifetime earnings of $1,046,753.

To view Monday's harness racing results, click the following link: Monday Results - Grand River Raceway.

(Standardbred Canada)