A five-win performance during Tuesday’s 12-race card at The Raceway at Western Fair District helped driver Alfie Carroll open up a few lengths on the competition in the quest for the Canadian dash title.
Recently feted for notching his 1,000th win, Carroll kicked off the card winning with Traumatized in 2:00.4. He returned to victory lane in Race 3 with Aberarder Smitty in 2:01.4 and tacked on triumphs with Forever La Night (2:00.2) in Race 6, Vegas Strip Three (1:59.1) in Race 8 and Cat Four (1:58.1) in Race 12.
The resident of Iona Station, Ontario pushed this year’s win total to 90 while lifting his seasonal earnings to $421,513. Trevor Henry holds down second spot in the Canadian standings with 77 wins, while James MacDonald finds himself sitting third with 73 scores.
Phil Hudon, who also finds himself ranked in the top 10 in the national standings, captured Tuesday’s $10,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred 2 with the Jim Ainsworth-trained Twilight Seelster. The four-year-old daughter of Modern Art-Titania Seelster used her rallying skills to win by 7-1/4 lengths in 1:58.2.
An early break by Windsong Glamorous scattered the field, and that included Twilight Seelster who was forced to settle into the six-hole while Rachel Olivia chopped out an opening panel of :28.3. She held a narrow lead at the half in :59 before opening up by a comfortable margin at the three-quarter pole in 1:28.3. Twilight Seelster made a five-wide brush in the backstretch and then used a :29.1 closing panel to win in going-away fashion. Rachel Olivia was a distant second, with Andro Madi taking home third prize.
Sent off at odds of 8-1, Twilight Seelster improved this year’s record to 2-1-0 from nine starts. The 11-time winner, who is owned by Brad Wilson of Lambton Shores, Ontario, is quickly closing in on $100,000 in lifetime earnings.
Romantic Fever wired up the foes she faced in the $7,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred 3 for the tandem of driver Billy Davis, Jr. and trainer Daryl Roberts. She sped through splits of :28.2, :58.4 and 1:28.1 before using a :30.3 closing panel to win by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:58.4. Thatll Be Franny recovered from an early miscue to finish second, with Set Me Up taking home the show dough.
The five-year-old daughter of I Scoot Hanover-Suture Fancy, who is owned by Rachel Roberts of Dorchester, Ontario, is now a 17-time winner who boasts career earnings of $53,475.
To view results for Tuesday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Tuesday Results – Western Fair.