Things didn’t go so well for Thundering Ovation in last week’s Preferred 2 for trotters at The Raceway at Western Fair District, but the Gerry Sloan trainee was solid gold in Tuesday’s follow-up performance over the London half-miler.
Thundering Ovation, in rein to J.R. Plante, played give-and-go with Cimeronken in the early stages of Monday's main event before chopping out fractions of :30, 1:01.3 and 1:30.4 over a track listed as “Good” with a two-second allowance. Thundering Ovation used a :30-second closing quarter to stave off Cimeronken by one-quarter of a length in 2:00.4. Savthelstdancforme rallied to finish third.
Sent off as the 4-5 favourite in the eight-horse affair, the homebred won for the second time this season for owners Joanne and Courtney Sloan of Harley, Ontario. The five-year-old daughter of Thunder Road-Shesintuff, who is now a 13-time winner, bumped her career earnings to $176,415 with the victory.
Lady Latte showed no mercy to the foes she sparred with in the $10,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred 2 later on card. The eight-year-old daughter of No Pan Intended-Miss Jeki got away third for Trevor Henry while Insincerity rolled to the front and threw down first-half fractions of :28.3 and :58.4. Lady Latte was on the move first-over approaching the half, and she took over command on the outside at the three-quarter pole in 1:28. She roared home in :29.2 to win by a decisive, seven-length margin over race favourite Insincerity in 1:57.2. Rachel Olivia nabbed the show dough.
Gord McDonnell trains the 32-time winner for owners Craig Turner and Mhairi Kersel of Ingersoll, Ontario. The classy campaigner pushed her lifetime earnings to $421,885 with the win.
The 12-race program also saw pacer All Chrome extend his winning streak to five-in-a-row thanks to his 1:58.2 triumph for the tandem of driver Phil Hudon and trainer Corey Johnson. The five-year-old son of Tell All-Ever Western came first-over and drew clear to win by 3-1/2 lengths in a time of 1:58.2 in the $5,800 event.
Brian Paquet of Quebec owns the nine-time winner who has earned just shy of $43,000 to date.
To view results for Tuesday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Tuesday Results – The Raceway at Western Fair District.