Zip Car prevailed from off-the-pace to post an 11-1 upset in the $10,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred 2 Handicap Pace featured at The Raceway at the Western Fair District on a -10 degree Wednesday evening, Feb. 17.
Twin B Inspiring left from post seven and rolled three-deep into a :28.2 first quarter over the "good" track to make the front, and then cruised to the half in :58.2 while the outer flow began to develop. Cant Stop, one of the 5-2 favourites in the field of eight, was flushed first up from third with Zip Car gapping her cover and Rain Cloud Hanover following third over. Cant Stop took over the lead by the 1:27.3 third quarter mark and opened up three lengths with the backfield attempting some wide moves. However, Zip Car continued to pursue Cant Stop into the stretch and got up in time to score the double-digit upset win in 1:58.4. Rain Cloud Hanover also closed well and finished second, half a length behind, just edging out Cant Stop.
Scott Coulter drove the six-year-old Royal Mattjesty mare, who is owned by trainer Heather Toll and Mark Beaven, both of Seaforth, Ont. A winner at the Preferred 3 level on Jan. 20, Zip Car is now two-for-five in 2015. She paid $25.60 for a $2 Win ticket.
Guiltywithanexcuse ($4.60) was a wire-to-wire winner later in the evening's $7,500 Preferred 3 Trot for trainer/driver Anthony MacDonald and owner Philippe Trudeau of Rigaud, Que. The eight-year-old Classic Photo gelding held command through fractions of :28.4, :59.1 and 1:28.2 en route to the 1:58.3 triumph. He scored his first win of the year by over a length, with slight favourite O U Sexy Guy finishing second after a first over journey and 35-1 pocket-sitter Winzel third.
To view Wednesday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Wednesday Results - Western Fair.