Pacer Monster In Law and trotter Long Ago shared the spotlight on Monday’s program at Western Fair Raceway after winning their respective Preferred assignments
worth $13,500 apiece.
Monster In Law sat in third while Risky Rich (Doug McNair) put up opening panels of :28 and :57 in the Preferred Pace. Driver Alfred Carroll sent the odds-on favourite first up en route to the three-quarters mark in 1:26.3 and scooted away from his six rivals using a :28.3 final frame. Monster In Law prevailed by three lengths in 1:55.1 over longshots Bigmizndrstnding (Mike Sumner) and Oakley Seelster (Bruce Richardson).
Don Beatson trains and owns the winning son of Northern Luck-Family Effort with Kenneth Beatson of Toronto and Sandra and Ralph Pitt of Cargill, Ont. In five starts, Monster In Law has recorded three wins and two seconds during his five-year-old campaign good for $26,625. His 14th career victory pushed his total winnings to $187,609.
In the $10,000 Preferred 2 Pace, Kountry Luck provided driver Brad Forward with his fourth win on the 12-race card. The eight-year-old gelded son of Camluck-Beatrice Seelster led from gate-to-wire, turning back a challenge from second-place finisher Button Up (Mike Horner) at the midway point. Kountry Luck stopped the clock in 1:56.4 with two and a quarter lengths to spare. The winner of two races in four 2010 starts is owned by trainer Jeffrey Brooks and Norman Brooks of Kerwood, Ont.
In the featured trot, Long Ago and Daniel Clemmer looped Apeachtoremember (Doug McNair) during the :29-second opener and then rolled past markers of 1:00 and 1:29.4 while the favourite, millionairess Snazzy Millie (Brad Forward), tried it from first over in her first start since 2008. Long Ago, the 2-1 second choice, held his own and was a half-length better than Ill Tell You What (Brian Detgen), who made a three-wide move at the third check point to come on for second. The time of the mile was 2:00.2. Nobananas (Mike Whelan) rounded out the top three.
Long Ago, a five-year-old son of Duke Of York-Hope Floats, is owned by trainer John Holding and Bryan Montgomery of Fergus, Ont. The lion’s share of the purse boosted his seasonal earnings to $21,875 while his career earnings climbed to $127,724. The 10-time career winner has prevailed in three of his five starts this year.
To view Monday's results, click here.