Swan Leader captured the $10,800 Open Trot on Friday, Dec. 2 at Northville Downs by a length and a quarter in 2:00.1.
Driver/trainer Charles Taylor left hard for the lead with Swan Leader and faced a rough first quarter, in :28.4, parked on the outside of early leader SJs Edith and driver Lavern Miller. But once Swan Leader found his gear, he lived up to his name and led the field of nine Open trotters the remainder of the race.
Swan Leader is owned by Charles Taylor and Vivian Booher. The victory marked career win number 57 for the 10-year-old son of Swan For All, whose earnings now total $421,035.
Meanwhile, the night’s driving leaders were Kody Massey and Charles Taylor each with two wins. Trainer Paul Cloer Jr. had a training triple and also picked up a driving win. Owner/trainer June Du Russel had a double on the program and owner Lases Racing had a double.
With just five race nights left in the 2022 meet, the driver and trainer standings are tightening. With his two wins Friday, Massey moves to 86 wins, now just 14 wins behind meet leader Marc St. Louis Jr. (who has 100). On the trainer side, Jim Trey Brinson has 31 wins and is clinging to a one-win lead over Danielle St. Louis and Cloer Jr. (each with 30), followed by Elizabeth Tolley with 26 and Gerald Malady with 24.
Live harness racing resumes at Northville Downs on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
(Northville Downs)