Stonebridge Zeus struck again in the $8,800 featured optional-claiming trot at The Raceway at the Western Fair District on Tuesday, Dec. 2, this time coming off a helmet for his second straight win.

Travis Henry kept the gelding in fifth through the first half, with longshot Forbidden Treasure (Samuel Fillion) up front and cutting splits of :30 and 1:02 over a good track. Stonebridge Zeus followed Teasin (Daryl Thiessen) outside just past the halfway point and tracked his cover to three-quarters in 1:31.3, going three-high at the top of the final turn as that opponent began to falter. Still 2-1/2 lengths back as the field straightened for the stretch, Stonebridge Zeus tore home and nabbed Forbidden Treasure in the final metres to win by a half-length in 2:02.1. Teasin fought on to hold third.

Stonebridge Zeus, who provided the fractions in his win last week, is now five-for-33 this year for trainer Bryan Lawrence. The six-year-old gelding has tallied 15 career wins and $168,144 in earnings in 128 starts. Lawrence of Hanover, Ont. owns the son of Resolve-Stonebridge Epic with Smurk Inc. of Elmira, Ont. Their winner paid $3.20 to win.

Following the win, Henry, a regular at Western Fair for much of his career, received a placard commemorating his 3,000th win, which he achieved on Oct. 10.

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

(Standardbred Canada; photo of Stonebridge Zeus winning on Sept. 9, 2022)