A trio of Preferred events highlighted The Raceway at Western Fair District's 12-race card on Monday afternoon, with a Preferred Trot and a Preferred 2 Pace that went faster than the higher-class Preferred Pace.
Even though he was handicapped with a Post 6 starting spot, Just Like Lloyd perhaps had a bit of St. Patrick's Day luck carrying over into his start in the $13,200 Preferred Trot as two scratches to his inside allowed him to start from the 4 hole. Making his second local appearance after a stint at the Meadowlands, driver Rob Sparling Jr. allowed Tymal Colossus (Scott Wray) to settle on the lead before making his move with Just Like Lloyd before the half and not looking back. A final quarter of :31.2 was enough to hold off pocket sitter Tymal Colossus for the 1:59 score, his second in three tries over the London half-miler.
Trained by Rene Allard for Lee Barton Enterprises of Edmonton, Alta. and Michel Allard of Saint-Esprit, Que., Just Like Lloyd (Like A Prayer - Lindys Bell) notched his 18th career win.
The $8,400 Preferred 2 Pace featured a hard-hitting battle between back-class heavyweight Hyperion Hanover and newcomer Judge Jon, making his first start for new connections after a recent claim at Woodbine.
Hyperion Hanover was first to the front for driver Scott Coulter and hustled the field through opening fractions of :27.1 and :56.4 before meeting the first-over challenge of Judge Jon and driver Ryan Holliday. Neither horse backed down, pacing stride for stride through the third panel of 1:25.1 before Hyperion Hanover started to give a bit on the backstretch and then battled back around the turn.
In the stretch, Judge Jon started to power past the pacesetter but had to deal with a hot backfield. Holliday kept his pupil at task and found the wire in a time of 1:55.3 just ahead of Kendal Gustav (Lorne House) with Cactus Jack (Sparling Jr.) finishing a bang-bang-up third, just a quarter length off the winner. Hyperion Hanover finished a hard-fought fourth, just three-quarters of a length back.
Judge Jon made his first start for trainer Pat Fletcher and owner Steve Mihalic, Burlington, Ont. a winning one. After making ten starts in all of 2012, Judge Jon now has three wins in nine seasonal starts with 2013 not even past one-third completion.
While Fletcher was sending out the favourite Dreamfair Kovu in the $12,000 Preferred Pace, a Preferred Pace sweep was not in the cards. Nick Steward pointed Dreamfair Kovu for the front and was on top until the half when Watermelonwine and driver Jason Brewer unleashed a wicked brush in front of the grandstand to take command just past the :57.3 half.
Brewer asked Watermelonwine for some acceleration down the backstretch as Dreamfair Kovu started to back through the field and eventually opened up to a three-length lead into the stretch. Brewer looked back and saw Classic Call (Holliday) and Royal Outlook (Coulter) angled for open racetrack, while his charge was desperate for the wire. With enough left in the tank, Watermelonwine held on for the quarter-length decision in 1:56.4 over Classic Call with Royal Outlook completing the triactor.
Trained by David Menary for owner Brad Gray of Dundas, Ont., the win was the second straight for Watermelonwine at Western Fair - and the second straight by a quarter of a length. The son of Life Sign - Areukiddinme now has 13 lifetime wins and has banked more than $417,000.
For full results from Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results - The Raceway at Western Fair.