Despite being parked from the start, Diamond Ryder delivered on his pari-mutuel promise in the $12,500 Preferred Handicap Pace to close out the Good Friday, April 3 card at The Raceway at Western Fair District.
Sent postward as the even-money favourite from post four with Robert Doyle catch-driving, Diamond Ryder survived the overland trip to win in 1:55.4 over a game Total Stranger for trainer Pam Forgie and owner Triple S Equine of Newton, Ont.
Total Stranger, a former Little Brown Jug starter stepping up to the Preferred class off a pair of big wins, caught the gate after breaking stride as they were lining up and fired across the the track from the outside post to take command into a :28.1 opening for driver Brady Galliers. He rated a :57.3 half while even-money favourite Diamond Ryder and Doyle remained parked from the start midfield.
While Total Stranger raced into the backstretch to three-quarters in 1:26, Doyle pulled the earplugs and Diamond Ryder started to gain ground as Austin Sorrie sent Tricky Mcwicky three-wide from behind. With the pressure mounting, Galliers urged Total Stranger on through the stretch but Diamond Ryder reached up to score by 1-1/2 lengths. Total Stranger held on for second, finishing with reported broken equipment, while pocket-sitter P L Oliver and Samuel Fillion shot up the inside for third ahead of outside closer Tricky Mcwicky.
Diamond Ryder, who was third in his London debut in the Preferred two starts ago and dominated a lower class last week, paid $4.30 to win as the bettors' choice.
The five-year-old Dali-Sambucas Credit gelding was claimed for $25,000 last June at Woodbine Mohawk Park by his connections and has won 10 races since, improving his career total to a dozen wins in 51 starts and purse earnings of $108,776.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Western Fair Raceway.
(Standardbred Canada)