Ginger turned in a gusty first-over effort to defeat 4-5 favourite Thatgirlisonfire in the featured $8,500 Fillies & Mares Preferred 3 Pace at The Raceway at Western Fair District on Friday night (December 8).
Thatgirlisonfire established the lead from the inside post ahead of Amazing Control through a :29 opening quarter before Ginger began to advance from third coming off the turn in front of the grandstand. Ginger confronted the favourite at the 1:00 half-mile mark, but Thatgirlisonfire maintained the lead into the backstretch past three-quarters in 1:28.3. Turning for home, the backfield began to fan across the track but it was the looming Ginger who stole the show in the final strides collaring Thatgirlisonfire for the 1:58.4 victory. Amazing Control was third while Style Snapshot and Emerald Rihanna finished fourth in a dead heat.
Ginger was sent postward as the 9-2 second choice in the wagering following three consecutive third-place finishes competing at the Preferred 3 level. She returned $11.70 to win.
Four-time Friday night winner Nick Steward drove the five-year-old Badlands Hanover mare, who has earned one-third of her 21 career wins this year, for trainer Pat Bissett and owner Donald Sholdice of Brussels, Ont.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Western Fair.