Handicappers didn’t give 25-time winner Button Up much respect in Monday’s co-featured $13,500 Preferred Pace at Western Fair Raceway, and the seven-year-old son of Northern Luck apparently took offense
to the pari-mutuel snub.
In rein to Mike Horner, the Mark Horner-trained veteran went to the front and didn’t look back en route to an 18-1 upset in the eight-horse affair.
Horner hustled Button Up to immediate command from Post 4, and the pair rolled through fractions of :27.1, :56.2 and 1:25.2 before kicking home in :29.2 to stop the teletimer in 1:54.4. It was three-quarters of a length back to runner-up Secret Weapon, who was sent off as the 6-5 favourite on the heels of his 1:54.1 score in last week’s Preferred tilt. Lookin For A Fight rounded out the top three finishers.
Button Up, who is owned by Sure Gain Stable of Mitchell, ON, won for the sixth time this season while lifting his lifetime earnings to $601,169 in the process.
Bank President made a withdrawal from Western Fair Raceway’s purse account, but he didn’t deposit much in the form of winnings to his backers after winning the $13,500 co-featured Preferred Trot on the Monday card.
In rein to Trevor Henry for trainer Steve Bossence, the five-year-old son of Keystone Nordic led through fractions of :28.2, :59.1 and 1:29.2 before sealing the deal in 1:59.1. His :29.4 final quarter was good enough to earn him the half-length decision over Sand Wyndham. Countess Stormont, who came up three-quarters of a length short, finished third.
Sent off as the even-money choice, the gelding notched his seventh win of the season and his second in four starts since being claimed for $40,000 by Lee Barton Enterprises Ltd of Edmonton, AB. The 17-time winner has an overall cash stash of $209,537 to date.
Virtual Princess, who was driven by Eric Carlson, turned a two-hole trip into a 1:54.4 triumph in Monday’s $11,500 Fillies & Mares Preferred.
The Paul Holzman-trained six-year-old daughter of Cam Terrific watched Call Me Yours throw down an opening panel in :27.3 before being pressed through middle fractions of :56.4 and 1:25.1 by Mach Me Not. Virtual Princess rallied in the lane and got up to win by a neck over Call Me Yours, with Stonebridge Celest taking home the show dough.
Andrew Sassen of Hillsboro Beach, FL holds the ownership papers on the 20-time winner who has banked $38,642 this season and more than $85,000 in her career.
To view Monday’s results, click here.