The trip was a tough one for Veyron in Monday’s co-featured $11,500 Preferred 2 for trotters, but that didn’t stop the gelding from battling his way into the winner’s circle for the tandem of driver J Harris and trainer Paul Cameron.
Veyron got away third in the five-horse affair while Zack To The Max powered to the lead and carved out early fractions of :29 and :59.3. Veyron started his first-over bid on the way to the half, and after making steady gains he showed a short lead while racing parked past the three-quarter pole in 1:28.3. Veyron then used a :30.1 closing frame to win by a length over Zack To The Max in 1:58.4. Race favourite Power And Grace was third.
TJS Stable of Caledon East, Ont. owns the eight-year-old son of Muscles Yankee-Wimbledon who won for the 15th time in his career. The career winner of close to $200,000 is now two-for-two to kick off his 2021 campaign.
Outlawgrabbingears used the same approach to take home top honours in the $11,500 Horses & Geldings Preferred 2 Handicap for trainer/driver Paul Davies.
The gelding left hard from Post 6 and dropped into the pocket behind Racemup who carved out fractions of :28.1, :59 and 1:28.1. The pacers went into sprint mode in the final quarter, and when the dust settled it was Outlawgrabbingears using his :28-second closing speed to win by three-quarters of a length over Racemup in 1:56.3. Taking home the show dough was Easton Beach.
Sent off as the 4-5 favourite, the five-year-old son of Smart Shark-Grand Slam Woman nabbed his 23rd lifetime wins while sending his lifetime earnings over $300,000 He is owned by Paul & Nicole Davies of Arthur, ON and Deborah Pinel of Calgary, AB.
Maximus Power turned a two-hole trip into a 1:58.4 score for driver Travis Henry in the $8,500 Horses & Geldings Preferred 3.
The Scott McNiven trainee, who was sent off at odds of 9-1, watched Mercenary and Fern Hill Breeze battle through first-half fractions of :28.4 and :59.3. Jack Of Clubs then tipped off cover and put pressure on Mercenary on the way to the three-quarter pole in 1:29.2. Jack Of Clubs was put away by Mercenary, but the pacesetter couldn’t do the same to Maximus Power who rallied home in :29.1 to win by a half-length margin over Mercenary in 1:58.4. Race favourite Jack Of Clubs was third.
Kim McNiven, Douglas Heywood and Thomas Brodhurst share ownership on the six-year-old son of Shanghai Phil-Bashful Way who won for the first time this season and for the 14th time in his career. The lion’s share of the loot lifted his earnings over $110,000.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – The Raceway at Western Fair District.