Father-son team of trainer Ron MacDonald and driver Brett MacDonald brought their enterprise to the winner's circle at The Raceway at Western Fair District thrice during the Tuesday, Feb. 26 program starting with Grey Bell upsetting a $5,200 conditioned pace in 1:59.3.
Snagging the pocket, Grey Bell stalked odds-on favourite Sieras Rose as she swept to a two-length lead moving towards a :28.1 opening quarter before slowing the tempo to a :58.2 half. As the pace softened, Intrepid Lady edged off the rail from sixth and lunged towards the pacesetter before stalling onto the second circuit.
Sieras Rose owned a length lead on Intrepid Lady pressuring first over while Grey Bell kept pace from the pocket in third. By three-quarters in 1:28, Intrepid Lady continued to stall into the stretch. Grey Bell slid wide with the new opening and overtook Sieras Rose with ease in progress to a length-and-a-half win. Got Some Spark weaved through traffic for second while Sieras Rose held third.
Owned by Fernand Jodoin, Grey Bell won her 11th race from 113 starts, earning $75,008. The six-year-old mare by Dontgetinmyway returned $22.40 to win.
The MacDonalds returned the next race to send Ideal Space to a wire-to-wire 1:59.3 mile in a $4,700 conditioned claiming pace. Owned by Brett MacDonald, the seven-year-old Western Ideal mare led through splits of :29.3, :59.4 and 1:29.3 while enduring minor first-over pressure from Queenofhearts to post a one-and-three-quarter length win.
April Bandit gave chase from the pocket second while Queenofhearts finished five lengths back in third.
Ideal Space paid $7.80 to win.
Dapple Apple completed the MacDonald pair's hat trick with another 1:59.3 coast-to-coast mile in a $4,700 conditioned claiming pace. The 11-year-old Oye Vay mare, also owned by Brett MacDonald along with partners Neil Oostrom and Stacey Currie, posted fractions of :29, :59.2 and 1:28.3 to hold off first-over challenger Rousey Ronda by a neck. She paid $3.60 to win.
To view Tuesday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Tuesday Results - Western Fair Raceway.