Four trips to victory lane was worth getting plastered in mud for driver Doug McNair during the soggy Saturday evening card at Woodbine Racetrack, and two of those wins came in the Preferred ranks.
Easy Lover Hanover got away third in the $34,000 Preferred Pace for McNair, but they didn’t sit there for very long. Ellis Park carved out the first quarter in :26.4, but McNair has his charge on the move in the backstretch. Easy Lover Hanover cleared to the top with relative ease, and once he got there he controlled the pace through middle splits of :56.1 and 1:25. A :28-second closing frame earned him the 1:53 score over Nirvana Seelster and Ellis Park.
Ben Wallace trains the four-year-old son of Somebeachsomewhere-Easy Go Go for owner Brad Grant of Milton, Ont. The victory was the third straight in the class, his sixth of the season and the 22nd of his career. He pushed his earnings over $530,000 in the process.
Witch Dali took home top honours in the $30,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred Pace, and she did so in front-stepping fashion for Doug McNair.
The Richard Moreau trainee pushed to the front from Post 2 and never looked back through panels of :27.1, :56.4 and 1:25.2. Her :28.1 closing speed earned her the win by 1-1/2 lengths over stablemate Ms Mac N Cheese. Third prize was earned by race favourite L A Delight.
Brad Grant also owns the six-year-old daughter of Dali-Whitesand Gem. She now owns a 3-5-3 record from 20 trips postward this year in additional to a seasonal bankroll of $97,320. The 22-time winner has banked more than $445,000 in her career.
To view results for Saturday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Saturday Results – Woodbine Racetrack.