Team Horner had a profitable Monday at The Raceway at The Western Fair District thanks to an eye-catching triumph with the class jumping Franceschetti in this week’s edition of the $12,000 Preferred Pace.
Fresh off a 1:56.2 score in the Preferred-3 class, Franceschetti romped to an easy victory in today’s follow-up assignment for driver Mike Horner and trainer Mark Horner. The OSS graduate got away third in the early going before marching first over on the way to the half. He took command shortly past the mid-way point and motored to a four-length triumph over Clic K in 1:53. Modern Xhibit was third.
Sent off at odds of 6-1, the four-year-old son of Mach Three-Puttinontheglitz won for the fourth time this year and for the 13th time in his career. The winner of $176,870 is owned by R A W Equine Inc of Burlington and Mark Horner of St. Marys, ON.
Bad Boy Hill pushed his winning streak to two-in-a-row, as well, thanks to his 1:55 triumph in the $8,000 Preferred-2. Sent off at odds of 15-1, Nick Steward hustled the three-year-old son of Stonebridge Regal-Asleep Onthebeach rolled the field through fractions of :28.3, :57.2 and 1:26 before sprinting home in a :29-second clip en route to the 1:55 victory. It was 3-1/2 lengths back to runner-up Bestinthebusiness, with Beach Buff taking home the show dough.
The gelding went 0-for-9 last season, but he’s put together a 4-for-13 record this year. He’s 2-for-2 since joining forces with Patrick Shepherd, who trains the winner of $95,120 for owner Tom Hill of Lancashire, GB.
Cimeronken also used a ‘catch me if you can’ approach en route to winning the $8,000 Preferred-2 Handicap for trotters for the team of driver Scott Coulter and trainer Daryl Roberts. The four-year-old son of Ken Warkentin-Ms Biynka sliced out splits of :28, :58.1 and 1:28.3 before using a :29.2 closing quarter to win by a nose over Amigo Loco in 1:58. Thundering Ovation, who was the longest shot on the board at odds of 25-1, was third.
Denise Anderson of Mossley, ON bred and owns the gelding who improved this year’s record to 7-1-1 from 18 trips to the track. The nine-time winner has stashed away more than $115,000 in lifetime earnings.
The program also featured a set of $5,000 Preferred-3 tilts for pacers, with Judge Jon (1:54.4) and Just Crowned (1:54.2) winning their respective assignments.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – The Raceway at The Western Fair District.