Mercutio earned his first victory of the season with a commanding effort in the $12,500 Preferred Handicap Trot over a surface rated good at The Raceway at the Western Fair District on Tuesday, May 19.

The seven-year-old stallion raced three-wide around the first turn as he strutted into control at the quarter in :28.3, then reached the half in :59 before the first-over Supersonic Hanover (Austin Sorrie) applied pressure going into the third turn. After racing uncovered for three-eighths of a mile, Supersonic Hanover backed out of contention, leaving Mercutio on a two-length lead over pocket-sitter Scene A Magician (Garrett Rooney) at three-quarters in 1:28. Scott Young was left with little work to do as Mercutio rolled home to a 2-3/4-length victory in 1:58.1. Tymal Riggs (Mark Etsell) finished bravely after a three-wide backstretch move to beat Insanity (Samuel Fillion) for second.

Mercutio won for the first time in four starts this year after hitting the board twice at Flamboro Downs and finishing fourth at Woodbine Mohawk Park last out. Shane Arsenault of Freelton, Ont. owns and trains the son of Bar Hopping-Frisky Magic, who is now 21-for-97 lifetime with earnings of $260,877. The win price was $4.50.

Skip The Honey headlined three $8,000 second-round divisions of the London Classic Sale Series for horses and geldings as the four-year-old took the faster pacing split for his fifth straight victory. Sent off as the 1-9 favourite, Skip The Honey was last off the gate in the field of five but moved up to fourth on the first turn as they raced to the quarter in :28.3. Garrett Rooney activated the gelding, an eight-length winner in the first leg, as they went by the grandstand and had him marching towards leader J M Mazingan (Brett MacDonald) through the half in :59. Those two went nose-to-nose past three-quarters in 1:27.2 and around the last turn, and Skip The Honey kicked clear as they straightened into the stretch on the way to a 1-3/4-length victory in 1:56.4. Over Bet (Mark MacDonell) came out of the pocket for second over J M Mazingan.

Skip The Honey is perfect in four starts at four after winning his second of two three-year-old appearances. Greg Drew of Merlin, Ont. owns, trains and bred the son of All Bets Off-Homegrown Honey, who is now five-for-six with $21,000 in earnings. The win price was $2.10.

Southern Cowboy ($3) romped in the sole trotting division, going pillar to post unchallenged for a 4-1/4-length win in 1:58.4. I Drink She Drives (Tyler Borth) finished second, with Yacht Club (Samuel Fillion) well back in third. Southern Cowboy is trained by Gerard Demers, who co-owns the three-year-old son of Archangel-Georgia Baby with La Ferme Tag Inc. of Papineauville, Que. and Antonio Tangreda of Kettleby, Ont.

Twin B Betonit ($4.20) wired the field in the other pacing group, stopping the clock in a career-best 1:57 for driver Travis Cullen and trainer Jodie Cullen. Stumbleandstagger (Lorne House) was a game second by three-quarters of a length, followed by first-leg winner French Bulldog (Tyler Borth). The winning Bettors Delight-Perfectlysweet sophomore colt campaigns for Wayne MacRae of Fall River, N.S. and Daniel Ross of Vernon Bridge, P.E.I.

The London Classic Sale Series is for Ontario-sired four-year-olds and younger that were non-winners of $10,000 as of March 1. The $40,000 guaranteed finals are set for May 29, Camluck Classic night.

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

(Standardbred Canada)