A three-wide swoop from driver Mike Horner and a quick pace on the front catapulted The Joy Luck Club to a 1:55 victory in the $11,600 Fillies and Mares Preferred 2 Pace on Tuesday, May 14 at The Raceway at Western Fair District.
Away fourth from post seven, The Joy Luck Club sat off a :27 opening quarter set by Style Snapshot pocketing Casino Classic in an early battle for the lead. War Filly, sitting third, soon pulled first over as Style Snapshot decelerated to a :56.2 half with The Joy Luck Club positioned second over.
War Filly dug into the leader through the backstretch but stalled as the tempo remained slow to three-quarters, which prompted The Joy Luck Club to rally three wide past the 1:25.2 third quarter. The five-year-old Camluck mare surged to the lead turning into the stretch and held off a late bid from favourite Buttermilk Hanover, who closed from last for second. Phoos Girl, tracking the winner's wide move around the final turn, gave chase in third.
Owned by trainer Mark Horner along with partners R A W Equine Inc. and Gregg McNair, The Joy Luck Club won her third race from eight starts this season and her 22nd from 66 overall, earning $448,865. She paid $7.10 to win.
In the Tuesday nightcap, Sporty Tori sat a pocket trip before kicking off the pylons and to her seventh-straight victory. The three-year-old Sportswriter filly moved into second as Saulsbrook Beauty posted fractions of :28.1, :57.2 and 1:27.4 on the lead. Despite minor first-over pressure on the second lap from Scottish Light, Saulsbrook Beauty cruised into the stretch with a length advantage over the 2-5 favourite in the pocket. Trainer-driver Gorden McKnight soon popped off the pegs and slid to a length-and-a-half victory going an added distance in 2:03.2.
Competing for the M&S Racing Stable Inc., Sporty Tori has accrued $29,545 from her seven-race win streak in eight outings. She paid $2.30 to win.
To view Tuesday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Tuesday Results - Western Fair Raceway.