Driver Austin Sorrie doubled up on Monday, June 15 at Grand River Raceway, taking two of the three $12,000 Preferred features after going down the road with trotter R Royal Port and pacer Lamborghini Lou.

Leaving from the middle of the gate in post five at 5-1, R Royal Port docked himself on the front quickly in the field of nine, crossing over to the cones and tripping the timer at the quarter in :27.2. R Royal Port took the field to the half in :56.3 before three-quarters in 1:25.3 with Shadrack Hanover (Brady Galliers) applying pressure first-up at his wheel. 

R Royal Port repelled the challenge of Shadrack Hanover turning for home but faced a new threat with Royal Beluga (Garrett Rooney) making a late rally wide from the backfield. Royal Beluga ran out of racetrack with R Royal Port coasting to the line a half-length clear in 1:55.3. Shadrack Hanover held sway for the third spot.

With his third victory in the last four outings, and 25th career, R Royal Port is trained by Gerard Demers. The seven-year-old Archangel-World Class Izzy gelding sports a career bankroll of $244,454 for owners La Ferme Tag Inc of Papineauville, Que. R Royal Port paid $12.60 to win.

Sorrie would comeback with similar tactics in the finale with Lamborghini Lou (pictured above) throttling the field in the Preferred Pace. 

Leaving from post four, Lamborghini Lou had to outleave Sure Thing Captain (Brett MacDonald) to cut a speedy opening quarter of :26.2. Lamborghini Lou went unchallenged to the half in :55.3. before beginning to string out the field on the backstretch with three-quarters put up in 1:23.3. 

Sure Thing Captain remained the only horse with in range turning for home before getting smaller in the rearview of Lamborghini Lou who paced away by four lengths in the wire with his 1:51.1 clocking. Sure Thing Captain was second, with Nightime Dancer (Brady Galliers) third, eight lengths back of the winner. 

The win was the first in nine outings this season for Lamborghini Lou who shipped in from Woodbine Mohawk Park for trainer Donald Linsey. Lindsey, of Fergus, Ont.,  co-owns the five-year-old McWicked-HNT Angel gelding with Paul Kleinpaste of Orangeville, Ont., William Alempijevic of Lexington, KY and Garth  Bechtel, Meaford, Ont. Lamborghini Lou has won 18 of 75 lifetime, banking $231,258 for his career. He returned $3.70 to win.

Dalton Shard N made an impressive North American debut in the first $12,000 Preferred Pace, showing no signs of rust since last racing in Australia earlier this year.

Driver Jason Ryan got away seventh and third from last with even money choice Dalton Shard N as P L Oliver (Galliers) utilized his rail starting spot to quickly gain control of the race. After a :26.4 opening quarter, P L Oliver faced no challenge to the lead by the :56 half but the outer flow was underway as Wry (Guy Gagnon) started to approach first up.

Wry provided cover to Crazy World (Garrett Rooney) in second over position with Dalton Shard N third over and more than six lengths off the leader down the backside. As P L Oliver hit the third quarter in 1:24.1, Ryan angled three-wide with Dalton Shard N and Ideal Perception (Samuel Fillion) popped out of the pocket as the field rounded out of the final turn and into the stretch. Straightening for home, Dalton Shard N brushed home quickest of all to get up by a nose over a game P L Oliver in 1:53.1. Bold Spirit (Damien MacLellan) found room in the lane to complete the triactor ticket.

A seven-year-old altered son of Always B Miki-All Time Glory, Dalton Shard N ($4) is now an 11-time winner in his career with $216,681 in earnings. He's owned by trainer Francis Guillemette of Guelph, Ont. 

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

(Standardbred Canada)