Preferred Parade At Western Fair

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Published: March 15, 2010 08:03 pm EDT

A variety of Preferred events were served up as part of Western Fair Raceway’s 12-race program on Monday, including a pair of $13,500 contests

– one for pacers and one for trotters.

Button Up went gate-to-wire in the $13,500 Preferred Pace for the Horner brothers – driver Mike and trainer Mark. The seven-year-old son of Northern Luck chopped out fractions of :27.3, :57.3 and 1:26.3 before sprinting home in :28.2 to seal the deal in 1:55. Pacific Oak tagged along to finish second and third prize went to Oakley Seelster.

Sure Gain Stable of Mitchell, Ontario owns the 22-time winner who has stashed away in excess of $544,000 in his career.

Sand Wyndham was hammered down to be the 1-2 favourite in the $13,500 Preferred Trot, and the five-year-old son of Pegasus Spur raced like a 1-2 shot should. He came first over and drew away to win by more than three lengths in 1:59.2 for trainer Ben Wallace and driver Tom Strauss. Paddington rode the winner’s cover en route to finishing second with Dashing Earl rounding out the top three.

The victory was the second of the season for the trotter and it boosted his lifetime bankroll to $191,170. Brad Grant of Milton, Ontario holds the papers on the 16-time winner.

Lady Latte has done her fair share of winning this year, and she bolstered her already-impressive totals with a solid triumph in the $11,500 Fillies & Mares Preferred Pace. The roan daughter of No Pan Intended was parked past the quarter pole in :28.1 before clearing to the top, but once she took charge she kept on trucking en route to the one-length score in 1:57.3. Mike Sumner worked out the winning trip for the four-year-old who defeated Sammy Syd and Artistry In Rhythm.

That’s eight wins in 10 trips postward this season for Lady Latte, who hangs her harness bag in the barn of veteran trainer Bill Hamm. She went 9-for-32 last year for Ingersoll, Ontario partners Craig Turner and Mhairi Kersel. She has stashed away more than $82,000 to date.

Owner Brad Grant and trainer Ben Wallace returned to victory lane with Keystone Matt, who rallied for a 1:56 triumph in the $10,000 Preferred-2 Pace. Brad Forward kicked off cover with the six-year-old son of Western Hanover going to the three-quarter pole and then used a :29.1 final frame to notch the one-length tally over Cammisrazmataz. Really Ideal grabbed the show dough.

The victory was the first in quite some time for Keystone Matt, who went 0-for-5 last season and entered Monday’s assignment with an 0-for-8 record in 2010. The pacer has banked more than $292,000 in his career.

To view Monday’s results, click here.

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