Outside assignee Thundering Ovation was a wire-to-wire winner in the featured $11,000 Preferred 2 Handicap Trot for the third consecutive week at The Raceway at the Western Fair District.
Crossing over to command right away, Paul MacKenzie steered the six-year-old daughter of Thunder Road to the victory in a two minute mile over the off track, which had a four second allowance. The 1-5 favourite paid $3 to win. Kennel Buddy and Travis Henry journeyed first over for the runner-up prize, finishing two and three-quarter length behind the winner, while Tornado Tim finished third off a two-hole trip for Daniel O'Brian.
The 26-time career winner is now just shy of the $250,000 earnings mark for trainer Gerald Sloan and owners Joanne and Courtney Sloan of Harley, Ont. Thundering Ovation is now three-for-four in 2015 with a narrow second-place finish in her first start of the year.
The Sloans also won the opener as four-year-old trotting mare Night Action and driver Ryan Holliday posted the biggest win margin of the night with a 13-length lead at the wire.
In other Friday night racing action, American Grace earned her eighth straight victory against $5,000 claiming mares, holding off her main rivals in recent weeks, Kendal Gucci and CC Callmekelly, by half a length in 2:02.2. Lorne House drove the six-year-old Allamerican Native mare, who paid $4.10 to win. She was claimed from the Kevin McMaster Stable by Platinum Stakes Management Inc.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Western Fair.