All eyes were on the odds-on favourite, Pretty Handsome, in Monday’s $11,500 Preferred 2 for horse and gelding pacers at The Raceway at Western Fair District, but Reel rained on that foe’s parade.
Reel used a solid, closing kick to win as a 16-1 upsetter in the featured affair, while Pretty Handsome was forced to settle for second prize.
Tuition Money stretched out Boomboom Ballykeel early, with the latter clearing shortly after the opening quarter flashed up in :27.2. Boomboom Ballykeel then sailed past the half in :58 before coughing up the lead to the first-over Pretty Handsome in the backstretch.
Reel was right on the back of Pretty Handsome at the three-quarter pole in 1:27.2, and they battled it out while leaving the others behind over the final quarter of the contest. Reel’s :29.4 kicker was enough to earn him the half-length win over Pretty Handsome in 1:57.3. Tuition Money was third.
J Harris mapped out the winning trip for the eight-year-old son of Shadow Play Desir. The gelding is co-owned by trainer Tim Myers along with partner Michael Hale. It was career win #29 for the career winner in excess of $190,000.
Race favourite Brocks Fortune used a late rally to post a 1:59.1 triumph in the $8,500 Preferred 3 for horse and gelding pacers.
Shifty Norm supplied splits of :29.1, :59.4 and 1:29, but he couldn’t quite seal the deal. Brocks Fortune, who sat in the 2- and 3-hole positions throughout, found late clearance and stormed home in :29.4 to win by a neck over Rough Trade. Shifty Norm was a lapped-on third.
Trainer Taylor Fritz co-owns the nine-year-old son of Stonebridge Regal-Fannies Fortune with her beau, Jared Bako. Together they watched the veteran win for the 26th time in his career while pushing his lifetime earnings over $370,000.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – The Raceway at Western Fair District.