One of the best races thus far in 2009 at Western Fair Raceway looms as the Race 12 Preferred Pace on the Monday, January 26 afternoon program
. A star studded field including Grand Bend Turbo has been assembled by Race Secretary and General Manager Ian Fleming for the $18,400 purse affair.
“He’s completely healthy and sound and has had a well deserved two month rest,” says trainer and co-owner Jim Ainsworth of Sarnia of his career winner of $772,871. “Really for his entire career that’s the first so-called vacation that he’s had. To start out with this year we can ideally race him in London for three weeks. Longer term we’re going to try and have him peaking again for the Molson Pace on May 29.”
The Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series graduate earned a $70,000 cheque with the runner-up finish in the 2008 edition of the Molson Pace. Starting from London’s trailing Post 8 he was off at 12-1. Grand Bend Turbo followed the 25-1 upset winner Eagle Luck under the wire in Western Fair’s signature annual race last year.
“(Driver) Mike Sumner was really happy with the way he qualified on January 16,” Ainsworth says of the Camluck-Sweet Meant To Be seven-year-old’s spin around London in 1:59.4 under a three second allowance. “The stablemate to Grand Bend Turbo, Bigmizndrstnding, is in the 11th race in London on Monday. He’s come back really well for his four year old season and looks like he’s going to be really nice horse for us too.”
In the Preferred Pace on Monday, Grand Bend Turbo will be facing millionaire Our Lucky Killean (Post 5), three-year-old colt pace track record holder Stormaway (Post 6), top Michigan invader Armbro Billow (Post 1) and the last time winner over this company Must Be Matt (Post 7).
Ainsworth, 48, has trained 837 winners lifetime for over $10 million in purse earnings.
“We have some nice young horses we hope to bring out in 2009 but Grand Bend Turbo has set the standard high for them all in this stable,” he says. “We’ll just put it this way. Grand Bend Turbo has raced great since he was a two-year-old. All of the young ones we’re starting with…they’d have to put together five or more great years to equal what Grand Bend Turbo has meant to us.”
To view Monday's entries, click here.
(Western Fair)