Three mares finished within three-quarters of a length of one another in Tuesday’s $10,500 Fillies & Mares Preferred Pace at The Raceway at the Western Fair District, with Thatll Be Franny coming out on top as the second longest shot on the toteboard.

Sent off at odds of 23-1, Thatll Be Franny got away sixth in the early going for driver Nick Steward while TJs Ellie shot to the top and supplied the group with an opening quarter clocked in :27.3. Sweet Bet went into attack mode on the way to the half, and she brushed to the lead shortly past the mid-way point in a :58-second clip.

Thatll Be Franny tracked Sweet Bet’s cover as the field passed the grandstand, and despite losing her cover she continued to press Sweet Bet to the three-quarter pole in 1:26.2. Steward and Sweet Bet used a :29.4 final frame to hold on for a neck decision over the late-closing favourite, Your Beautiful, in 1:56.2. Sweet Bet was three-quarters of a length behind the winner in the eight-horse affair.

Ken Gowan trains the nine-year-old daughter of Thatll Be Me-Little Franny for owner/breeder Audrey Crawford of Wallacetown, ON. The 15-time winner, who banked more than $96,000 last season, has racked up earnings in excess of $141,000 to date.

To view results for Tuesday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Tuesday Results – The Raceway at the Western Fair District.