The Raceway at the Western Fair District hosted the opening round of the Alliance Series for $7,500 claiming trotters on Friday night (December 16).

Robert Shepherd scoring a driving double in the first leg with wins aboard Natural Grace ($4.70) and Riddle Me Miss ($6.60).

The first of three $4,600 divisions opened the snowy card and Shepherd sent the 10-year-old mare Natural Grace wire-to-wire in 2:04.3 for her 10th victory of the year. The winner is owned and trained by Stacey Reinsma.

Shepherd later won another division with Mitchell Sahely's six-year-old mare Riddle Me Miss, who swept up from the backfield to take the lead by the third quarter mark and drew away from her competition by nearly six lengths to the stop the clock in 2:02.3.

Boots N Hearts ($2.20) won the fastest division by more than six lengths in 2:02 in rein to Nick Steward for trainer/owner Kyle Fellows. She was flushed out from third just past the half-mile mark and took off to earn her second straight victory.

There were three claims in the first leg of the series, including Natural Grace (new owner Owen Wilson) and Boots N Hearts (Stephen Morton), both for $9,375.

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