Odds-on choice Cheddar Bay overcame an outside post and kept all challengers at bay to win the $13,000 Preferred for male pacers featured on a wintery Friday night (Jan. 27) at The Raceway at Western Fair District.
Driven by J Harris, Cheddar Bay blasted to the lead from the outside post seven during a :27.4 opening quarter and fought off first-over challenger G A Speed Sammy (Brett MacDonald) through middle splits of :58.1 and 1:26.3. Cheddar Bay turned for home with a 1-1/2-length lead and held off the late-closers down the stretch to win by half a length in 1:56.4. The passing lane pursuer Carsons Shadow (Garrett Rooney) edged out the wide-rallying Crosscut (Anthony Haughan) and YS Delight (Paul MacKenzie) in a place photo.
Cheddar Bay was a back-to-back Preferred winner in London, Ont. in late November and has been a top contender in his last three attempts while finishing no worse than fourth. Sent postward as the 7-5 bettors' choice here, Cheddar Bay paid $4.90 to win.
Peter Core trains the homebred Betterthancheddar-Mystical Seelster gelding for owners Donald McGregor of Camlachie, Ont., and Heather McGregor of Camlachie, Ont. The win was the seven-year-old pacer's 15th lifetime and leaves him just shy of the $200,000 mark in career earnings.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - The Raceway at Western Fair District.