A set of Preferred tilts – one for pacers and one for trotters – highlighted Monday’s 12-race card
at Western Fair Raceway.
It was a front-stepping score in the $14,800 Preferred Pace for Bob Watts, who held on to win by a narrow margin for the father/son duo of trainer Rick Zeron and driver Scott Zeron.
The younger Zeron hustled the five-year-old son of Real Desire to immediate command from the pole position, and the gelding led the field through panels of :28.3 and :58.4 before Rave On attacked and gained a brief lead at the three-quarter pole in 1:26.4. Bob Watts battled back, however, and used a :29.3 final frame to prevail by a head over runner-up Rave On. Third prize went to Eagle Luck.
Sent off as the 4/5 favourite in the seven-horse affair, Bob Watts notched his first win of the season after going 0-for-3 to start the 2011 campaign for owners David Kryway of Amherstburg and the Meadowbranch Stables Inc of Lynden, ON.
Driver Bruce Richardson also used a “catch me if you can” approach to win the $14,800 Preferred Trot with the John Holding-trained Long Ago. The six-year-old son of Duke Of York laid down fractions of :29.2, 1:00 and 1:29 en route to the neck decision over Power Shot in 1:59.2. Big Changes rounded out the top three finishers.
Holding shares ownership on the gelding with Bryan Montgomery of Fergus, ON, and together the partners celebrated the second victory of the season and the 16th lifetime tally with the career winner of $181,241.
To view Monday’s results, click here.