It wasn’t a good day for the favourites in Monday’s Preferred events at The Raceway at Western Fair District, as E L Spartacus and Thatll Be Franny played the role of the spoiler in their respective assignments.
E L Spartacus came through at odds of 5-1 in the $8,300 Horses & Geldings Preferred 3 for the duo of driver J Harris and trainer Eric Billings. The gelding got away in mid-pack and sat there for most of the mile before rallying home in :28.4 en route to posting a narrow tally in 1:56. Kinmundys Stryker was a lapped-on runner-up, while race favourite Blue Chip Sunshine had to settle for third prize.
Jeffrey Williamson of Blyth, ON owns the five-year-old son of I Am A Fool-Wild Today. The pacer has gone 5-for-18 this season while stashing away more than $21,000 in the process. The eight-time winner has banked $42,694 to date.
Thatll Be Franny also used come-from-behind tactics to capture the lion’s share of the loot in the $7,500 Fillies & Mares Preferred 3. Nick Steward tracked cover from second over with the veteran before firing her three-wide in the backstretch. She then used a :30.2 closing panel to win by 3-3/4 lengths over Zip Car in 1:57.3. Emerald Rihanna was third.
Ken Gowan trains the 11-year-old daughter of Thatll Be Me-Little Franny for owner/breeder Audrey Crawford of Wallacetown, ON. The mare boasts a 5-2-5 record this season from 20 trips to the track. The 29-time winner has racked up close to $280,000 in career earnings.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – The Raceway at Western Fair District.