Driver Doug McNair worked out a perfect trip with Secret Weapon in Monday’s $13,500 Preferred Pace at Western Fair Raceway, and that was all the edge the gelding needed to get up for a head decision in the feature race
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The seven-year-old son of Western Hanover tracked cover from second-over and then used a :28.3 final frame to deliver the knock out punch to his Preferred rivals.
Fall In Place and Lincoln Parke battled to the quarter pole in :28.4 before the former cleared to the top and laid down middle panels of :57.4 and 1:26.3. XLB Patrick was first over at the mid-way point with Secret Weapon tracking his every move.
McNair pulled the trigger three-wide with the Wayne Preszcator pupil, and the pacer’s closing kick was the best in the group. Fall In Place finished just a head back in second while Ill Call U Back was a distant third.
Barbara and James Lehman of Waterloo along with Robert Patterson of Caledon, ON share ownership on the 27-time winner, who has put together a 6-6-3 record in 22 starts this season. The lion’s share of the purse lifted this year’s bankroll over $81,000 while his lifetime total vaulted past the $341,000 mark.
The $11,500 Fillies & Mares Preferred Pace went to Headpoles R Us and driver Brad Forward, who had four wins on the card, in a time of 1:56.1. The Chris Haskell-trained five-year-old daughter of Bo Knows Jate led through fractions of :29, :58.3 and 1:27 before marching home in :29.1. The mare defeated Blissfull Kiss and Power In Rein.
Ron Haskell of Windsor, ON holds the papers on the former claimer who has put up sparkling numbers this season. Her latest score was her 14th of the season in just 19 trips postward. She has stashed away more than $81,000 in earnings in 2009 and close to $140,000 to date.
The first of two $10,000 editions of the Preferred-2 Pace went to Three Cents, who front-stepped his way to a 1:56.2 score for driver Jody Jamieson and trainer Frank Baker, Jr.
The five-year-old son of Mach Three was hung out past the :27.2 opener before touching down on the lead, and once he crossed down to the rail it was game over for the competition. The gelding whacked out middle splits of :57.3 and 1:26.2 before pacing home in 30 seconds en route to the one-length tally in 1:56.2. Monster In Law closed well to finish second and U Know Ugot It took home the show dough.
Baker shares ownership on the 14-time winner with partner Wray Wilson of Thorndale, ON. It was the eighth win of the campaign for the career winner of $135,121.
The other division of the class went to Beach Boy Toy in a time of 1:55.4. Mike Sumner mapped out the gate-to-wire trip for the Jim Ainsworth pupil, who successfully led the field through fractions of :29.1, :58.4 and 1:26.4 before kicking home in 29 seconds to seal the deal. The four-year-old son of Artiscape held on to win by three-quarters of a length over Kaos Agent. Pacific Oak rounded out the top three in the eight-horse affair.
Ainsworth shares ownership on the career winner of $164,310 with Bill Boden of Vancouver, BC. It was the pacer’s sixth win of the season and the ninth of his career.
To view Monday’s harness racing results, click here.