The Raceway at the Western Fair District served up a 12-race program on Monday, and it was a card which featured a $15,000 Preferred Pace and three divisions in the first leg of the Middlesex County Series for filly and mare pacers.
The program also saw driver Brandon Arsenault celebrate a special moment in the curtain closer. The young reinsman notched the first win of his career and he did so with a pacer he co-owns with his father, Shane Arsenault.
The sulky sitter from Waterdown, ON hustled the six-year-old gelding, Suprizemeagain, to the lead from Post 2 and the son of Western Hero threw down fractions of :29.2, 1:00 and 1:29.4 before using a :30.1 closing quarter to stop the teletimer in 2:00. Arsenault has hit the board in six of his first sixteen drives.
Roman Rocks took home top honours in the Preferred for the tandem of driver Nick Steward and owner/trainer Marty Adler of Amherstburg, ON. Mach It Big and Acceptable Risk battled to the quarter pole in :28.2 before Mach It Big was released to the lead. Roman Rocks, in the meantime, was a parked out fifth but he quickly worked his way up beside Mach It Big at the half in :58.4.
Mach It Big started to get a little nimble on the way to the three-quarter pole, but Roman Rocks had lots left in the tank. The seven-year-old son of No Pan Intended-Janie Mcpockets took over command past the third post in 1:27.3 before using a :29.1 closing panel to seal the deal by five lengths in 1:56.4. Frog Juice rallied to grab the runner-up award, with race favourite Mach It Big fading to finish third.
The victory was the six of the season for Roman Rocks, who is now a 13-time winner to date. The gelding has now banked in excess of $54,000 this season and more than $178,000 in his career.
Filly and mare pacers squared off in a trio of $8,000 splits of the Middlesex County Series, and A Million Thanks showed no mercy to the foes she faced in the opening tilt for the gals. The three-year-old daughter of Million Dollar Cam-G G Dancer brushed to the lead at the half and drew clear to win by 6-1/2 lengths over race favourite Stonebridge Secret in 2:00. Right On Ram grabbed the show dough.
Paul Mackenzie mapped out the winning trip for the Bruce Goit-trained homebred who is owned by Lois Gray of Caledonia and Melanie Mireault of Ancaster, ON. It was the filly’s second win in five tries this season and the lion’s share of the purse bumped her earnings to $10,545.
Amazing Step enjoyed the same trip and came away with the same end result in the second division. The daughter of Armbro Deuce-Financiere Stena accelerated to the engine at the half and sped away from the competition in 2:01.1. Rammy Girl, who enjoyed a pocket trip, was 1-1/4 lengths behind the winner. Dazzle N Delight closed from last to get the third prize.
Sent off as the 2-5 favourite, Amazing Step got the job done for the team of driver Denis St. Pierre and trainer Denis Gladu. Gilbert Sauve of St-Jacques and Ecuries De Senneville Inc of Senneville, QC. After finishing seventh in her seasonal debut, Amazing Step has answered with eight consecutive victories. She’s closing in on $30,000 in lifetime earnings.
Michelles Deuce was a front-stepping winner in the final division for the duo of driver J.R. Plante and owner/trainer Gordon Redmond of Grimsby, ON. The filly sped through fractions of :28.4, :59.2 and 1:30.1 before coasting home in :32.3 to win by 2-3/4 lengths over Sugar Mama in 2:02.4. Pocketfulasunshine rounded out the top three finishers.
The daughter of Armbro Deuce-Yahoo Du Ruisseau, who went 0-for-3 last season, now boasts a 3-2-2 record from 10 starts this season. The $4,000 payday boosted her earnings to $15,450.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Western Fair.