Driver Bob McClure went on a winning crusade mid-card on Wednesday (January 4) at The Raceway at the Western Fair District in London, Ont. to sweep the evening's Preferred events.
McClure, who was Canada's win leader of 2016 and named an O'Brien Award finalist for Driver of the Year, won three races in a row on Wednesday, beginning with the streaking late-bloomer Open Skies ($2.30), trained by Mike Weller and owned by Lynn Wilfong, in the fourth dash for $12,500 filly and mare claiming-conditioned pacers.
In the following featured $10,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred 2 Pace, the McClure-driven Top Royal ($4.50) wore down pacesetter Katherine B (Robert Shepherd) and held off the late-closers to win her London race debut by a head in 1:58.3 over the 'good' track. Trainer Heather Toll owns the four-year-old Royal Mattjesty mare with Brydown Farms Inc. Honor Roll (J Harris) and Pretty Hot (Alfie Carroll) rallied home to complete the top three finish order.
McClure also clicked with another Weller trainee, Legal Process ($6.80), in the $8,300 Preferred 3 for distaffers. McClure worked out a second-over trip aboard the six-year-old daughter of Well Said, who prevailed by three and three-quarter lengths in 2:00.3 ahead of a from-last Pinky Tuscadero (Mike Horner) and Choose My Jet (Paul MacKenzie). The winner is owned by Weller, Susan Woodyatt, and Cheri Watts.
To view Wednesday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Wednesday Results - Western Fair Raceway.