Anita Ouellette trainees hit the finish one-two in the $12,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred 2 & 3 Handicap Pace with Manhattan Night outlasting her stubborn stablemate So Frisky in 1:56.1 on closing night at The Raceway at Western Fair District Tuesday (May 31).
Driver Scott Young sent Manhattan Night to the fore and cleared command from pylon-pusher Sirius Star after a :27.2 first quarter. Slowing the tempo towards a :57.3 half, Manhattan Night faced a challenge from stablemate So Frisky, who steadily advanced into the leader’s advantage to come within a neck of the front by three-quarters in 1:26.3. Manhattan Night rebuffed So Frisky around the final turn and regained a length lead with the inside advantage, but So Frisky surged after the lead once more in the straightaway. The six-year-old Dali mares battled to the finish with Manhattan Night keeping a half length up on So Frisky while Outlaw Imahotvixen rallied to take third.
A homebred for Luc Ouellette Incorporated, Manhattan Night won her fifth race from 14 starts this season and her 27th from 94 overall. She has banked $230,939 and paid $5.50 to win.
Tymal Houdini later took the $10,500 Preferred 3 Trot going coast to coast despite broken equipment. The six-year-old Kadabra stallion cleared the lead before a :28.3 first quarter and strolled uncontested through a :59 half and to three-quarters in 1:27.4 before holding the lead just until the finish, where he bested first-over surging Jayport Hi Class by a nose in 1:57.2. Herbs Journey finished third and Cheatalotpov took fourth.
Owned by E C S Racing LLC, Tymal Houdini won his fifth race from 14 starts this season and his 16th from 68 overall. Stephen Bossence trains the winner of $147,553 who paid a $4 mutuel. Colin Kelly sat in the sulky.
Holding a one-win lead in the driver’s standings, Tyler Borth captured two more races on the 10-race card to solidify himself as the meet’s leading driver with 92 wins heading into the fall meet. Travis Henry sits second with 89 while Brett MacDonald holds third with 68 and Colin Kelly tightened the race but remains close in fourth with 67 following a driving hat trick.
Trainer Tyler Nostadt added a win on Tuesday to establish himself as the leader when live harness racing resumes in September. He finished the first part of the season with 50 victories while Cassidy Schneider mustered 30 wins and Lindsey Kerr, adding a win from Tuesday, sits in third with 25.
To view Tuesday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Tuesday Results – Western Fair Raceway.