The betting public leaned heavily on Lady Latte in Tuesday’s $10,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred 2 class, and the veteran distaffer didn’t disappoint her legion of pari-mutuel supporters.
In rein to Jonathan Drury, Lady Latte shot to immediate command from Post 1 and cruised through panels of :29.2, :59.1 and 1:27.4 before using a :29.3 kicker to win by 2-3/4 lengths over pocket-riding Andro Madi in 1:57.2. Ostinato, who pulled off a 23-1 shocker one week earlier, rallied off cover to finish third.
Gord McDonnell trains the eight-year-old daughter of No Pan Intended-Miss Jeki for Craig Turner and Mhairi Kersel of Ingersoll, Ontario. It was the mare’s second win of the season from four trips to the track, and it increased her lifetime win total to 33. The OSS graduate has now banked $428,085.
Drury also mapped out the winning trip for Black Magic Eyes in the $7,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred 3. Just as he did one race earlier with Lady Latte, Drury rolled Black Magic Eyes to the top and she didn’t look back through splits of :29, :59.3 and 1:29.1. Her :30.2 closing quarter was good enough to earn her the 1:59.3 decision by 1-1/2 lengths over St Lads Zena, while 4-5 favourite Mamasaidso was third.
Richard Moreau, who sent out a pair of winners on the 12-race card, trains the six-year-old daughter of Village Jolt-Western Concert for Gaston Bibeau, Eric Bibeau and Sylvain Descheneaux of Quebec. It was the mare’s first win of the season and the lion’s share of the purse boosted her overall bankroll to $116,000.
To view results for Tuesday’s card of harness racing, click the following link: Tuesday Results – The Raceway at Western Fair District.