It may have just been a six-horse race, but the Tuesday night edition of the $11,000 Preferred 2 Pace at The Raceway at Western Fair was an action-packed event full of speed, hardball and late closing heroics.
Favoured Si Semalu (Bob McClure) was intent on the lead and eventually got there over a stubborn rail horse Stoney Durkin (Ryan Holliday) in a swift :28.1. Immediately after the opening panel, Si Semalu was under pressure from second choice Emerald Lexus (Scott Wray). As the field passed in front of the grandstand, Emerald Lexus had yet to clear to the pylons but was on top of the field by the half in :56.3.
Lorne House saw enough of that speed battle from fourth with Kendal Gustav, and launched a three-wide bid down the backstretch. The third station flashed up in 1:25.3, with Si Semalu still on top and Kendal Gustav now applying first-over pressure. Around the final turn, Leafs And Wings -- last week's winner in this class -- found room off the rail and made a slingshot move into the three path for Alfie Carrol. In a carbon copy of last week, Leafs And Wings pinned his ears back and took off for a two-length score in 1:55.3 over Kendal Gustav and Si Semalu.
Trained by Mike Rogers for owner Gregory Rogers of Auburn Hills, Mich., Leafs And Wings is an eight-year-old son of Rambaran-Rockton Road who boasts 33 lifetime wins and more than $380,000 in purse earnings.
In the $8,300 Preferred 3 Pace earlier on the card, American Terror was expected to prevail and he did just that. With Robert Shepherd at the controls for Isabelle Darveau, American Terror was a gate-to-wire winner in 1:58.
Lawmen Reign (Ross Battin) closed stoutly to finish second, just more than a length off of the winner with Conflict Diamond (Alfie Carroll) holding off Jackstan (Ryan Holliday) to complete the triactor.
Owned by Edward Harvey of Fredericton, N.B., American Terror (American Ideal - Artachebythenumber) has a 3-3-1 summary in 10 seasonal starts for earnings exceeding $24,000 -- a total that's already surpassed the $19,812 gelding earned at age four in 2014.
To view the results from Tuesday's card at Western Fair, click the following link: Tuesday Results - Western Fair.