Thundering Ovation fulfilled her customary role as race leader in the $11,000 Preferred 2 Trot at The Raceway at the Western Fair District on Friday night and led from start to finish for another victory.
Post six assignee Thundering Ovation and driver Paul MacKenzie powered across the track to establish the lead before the first turn and proceeded to carve out panels of :29.1, 1:00.2 and 1:28.3 en route to the season's best 1:59 triumph while racing over a fast track for the first time this year. Thundering Ovation kept first over challenger Kennel Buddy at bay with her big third quarter while Money Maven closed late to finish second. Pocket-sitter Incredable Frank edged out Kennel Buddy for third-place.
Coming off a 12-win campaign which earned her the title of Western Fair's 2014 Older Trotting Mare of the Year, the six-year-old homebred mare has started her 2015 season with five wins and three seconds in nine starts.
Trained by Gerald Sloan and owned by Joanne and Courtney Sloan, Thundering Ovation (Thunder Road-Shesintuff) now has 28 wins in 75 races lifetime and earnings of $265,583.
Thundering Ovation paid $3.90 to win as the odds-on favourite.
Canada's leading driver Alfred Carroll earned four more victories (including wins in the first three races) on Friday's 10-dash card to put his 2015 total at 99.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Western Fair.