Veteran trotter Indiana Hall is showing no signs of slowing down as evidenced by a strong finish to his 2011 season and equally strong start to 2012
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In Tuesday's $15,000 Preferred Trot at the Raceway at Western Fair, driver Doug McNair settled the classy trotter into third around the first turn while Berosus (Aaron Byron) fronted the field to the opening panel in :30. McNair started his move to the outside at the three-eighths marker and managed to clear to the front just after the 1:00.3 half. Favoured Logans Hero (Jason Brewer) began to challenge as the field hit the backstretch for the final time.
McNair asked Indiana Hall for another gear through the 1:30.2 third split and he responded to open up on the field by two lengths. Logans Hero began to get steppy around the final turn and Brewer collected him up to keep him trotting in second as Indiana Hall hit the wire a length and a half to the good in 2:00.4. Much like the Canadian Junior hockey team, Chinnys Wings (Doug Bowins) tried to make a late rally but fell just short of Logans Hero to finish third.
Trained by Ian Downey and owned by S S G Stables of North Boston, N.Y., Indiana Hall seems to be enjoying a career resurgence. His 14 wins and $125,726 earned in 2011 at age eight comprised his second best season, only topped by his three-year-old Ontario Sires Stakes campaign when he won the $100,000 Grass Roots final and finished second in a $130,000 OSS Gold event.
To view results from Western Fair's Tuesday card of harness racing, click the following link: Tuesday Results - Western Fair.