A winner of the $13,000 Preferred 2 Handicap Trot two starts ago, Esquire delivered a bounce back winning performance in the top class on Friday night (March 18) at The Raceway at Western Fair District.
Leaving between rivals from post four following a fifth-place finish last week, Esquire and driver Tyler Borth pressed on to secure the lead ahead of insiders Katcha Kanna (Travis Henry) and Missys Magic Man (Anthony Haughan) into a :28.1 opener. As Esquire proceeded to the half in :58.4, Franks Angel (Jason Ryan), who was forced to take back to an early four-hole off the gate, launched first-up to apply pressure down the backside but the leader rebuffed that rival past three-quarters in 1:28.1. He then held on for the half-length victory in 1:58 flat with the slightly favoured O Narutac Perfetto (Scott Coulter) closing up on the far outside of the wide-drifting Franks Angel down the stretch.
Esquire returned $7.20 to win. Mark Goddard trains the nine-year-old Kadabra gelding, who now has four victories and a pair of seconds from nine starts this year, for owner Brandon Guerra of Brantford, Ont. A career winner of 27 races, Esquire has banked $272,576 in purses to date.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Western Fair Raceway