Validus Deo and Firebby A won their respective Preferred assignments Monday evening at The Raceway at Western Fair District, and they both used the same tactical approach to take care of business.
Validus Deo, who wound up being one of three winners on the 11-race card for trainer Danielle St. Louis, marched to the lead in the $8,500 Preferred 3 for horse and gelding pacers and never looked back en route to a 1:54.3 score. Marc St. Louis, Jr., who manufactured a five-win performance on the card, hustled the gelding through fractions of :27.4, :57.3 and 1:25.4 before using a :28.4 closing quarter to win by 1-1/2 lengths over Bettors Western. Third went to Adore Him.
Sent off as the 6-5 favourite, the 10-year-old son of Lis Mara-Madam Countess won for the ninth time this season and for the 49th time in his career. The winner of $635,038 is owned by Stewart McQueen and Megan Riley.
Firebby A captured the $8,500 Preferred 3 for filly and mare pacers, and she did so in gate-to-wire fashion for driver Colin Kelly and trainer Taylor Fritz.
The eight-year-old daughter of Courage Under Fire-Rebby carved out fractions of :28, :56.2 and 1:25.4 before using a :29.2 closing panel to win by three-quarters of a length over Larjon Legacy in 1:55.1. Fun On A Beach was third.
David Kryway of Amherstburg, Ont. owns the distaffer who improved her 2020 record to 4-4-5 from 23 starts with the win. The 27-time winner has banked $274,993 to date.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – The Raceway at Western Fair District.