Despite a belated start from the trailing tier, Harborlite Ambrose and driver Austin Sorrie made late gains as they sailed three-wide turning for home to win the $12,500 Preferred for male pacers at The Raceway at Western Fair District on Friday, April 24.

Harborlite Ambrose and Sorrie watched their rivals jockey for early position off the gate, cruising along second-to-last into the backstretch the first time as P L Oliver (Samuel Fillion) battled past Filly Watcher (Andy Moore) for the top spot then widened his lead by three lengths after the :28.1 quarter mark. 

Nearly 10 lengths off the leader, Sorrie started to advance on the outside with Harborlite Ambrose as the field turned in front of the grandstand to complete the first lap and they picked up cover from 4-5 favourite Silverwalls (Garrett Rooney), who had forged wide to secure an early four-hole and went on the attack as P L Oliver got a breather to the half in :58.2. 

Silverwalls laid on the pressure down the backstretch but only made it to P L Oliver's saddle pad as they raced by three-quarters in 1:27. Harborlite Ambrose charged three-high turning for home to join the fight up front and he kept on coming while Silverwalls hit a wall. Down the stretch, Harborlite Ambrose closed in on P L Oliver and got the best of that rival in the late stages with a :28.2 finale for the 1:55.4 score by a half a length while Wry (Paul MacKenzie) rallied off the winner's back on the far outside to snag third in a three-across finish.

Trained by Rachel Andrew, Harborlite Ambrose was a Preferred winner at The Raceway back on Feb. 13 and entered this week's top pace off a winning effort last Sunday at Flamboro Downs. The five-year-old son of Up The Credit-Mattgellan now has five wins in 11 starts this year and is 19-for-70 lifetime with career earnings just shy of $140,000 for Ralph Jardine of Arthur, Ont.

He was went postward at odds of 6-1 and returned $14.70 to his backers at the betting windows.

The Friday feature win was part of a natural hat trick during the 11-race card for Sorrie, who currently leads all drivers in Canada for wins this year.

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

(Standardbred Canada)