One week removed from a narrow win in the $7,500 Preferred 3 at Grand River Raceway, Savage Seelster stepped up a level and dominated his Preferred 2 foes in Monday evening’s $11,000 main event.
Robert Shepherd was paired up with Savage Seelster in the featured affair, and the gelding didn’t disappoint those that backed him as the 2-1 favourite. Shepherd got away fourth with the pacer while Hunch Man doled out first-half fractions of :27.2 and :56.4 before being pressed by Savage Seelster to the three-quarter pole in 1:25.4. A :28.4 closing panel sealed the deal for the five-year-old son of Camluck-Slick Gaited. He defeated longshot Goldstar Badlands along with third-place finisher, Santanna Blue Chip.
Kristina Wilcox of Windsor and Nancy Rivard of Tilbury, Ontario share the ownership on the 13-time winner, who owns a 4-1-2 record from 11 trips to the track this year. He’s closing in on $70,000 in lifetime earnings.
Kennel Buddy took the first of two $7,500 Preferred 2 events on the Monday evening card. The five-year-old son of Ken Warkentin-Bernice Daniece, who was making his debut on Lasix, catapulted off cover before drawing clear to win by one-quarter of a length over Chuckalo Caden, with Brandon CS taking home the show dough.
The gelding, who is owned by Allan Neal of Grand Bend, Ontario, is now 7-for-20 this season and 14-for-70 over the course of his career. His career earnings jumped to $165,683 with the triumph.
Clic K used come-from-behind tactics to take home the lion’s share of the $7,500 purse in the Preferred 3 Pace for horses. Robert Shepherd had him sitting sixth for the opening lap before making a big move the backstretch. The seven-year-old son of Shanghai Phil-Eclatante made a bold move at the three-quarter pole before sprinting home in :29.4 to win by 1-1/4 lengths over odds-one favourite Monte Cristo in 1:54.3.
Colin Johnson trains the flashy chestnut for owner Debbie Element of Rockwood, Ontario. The career winner of $348,013 is now 4-for-14 this year and 36-for-118 over the course of his career.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Grand River Raceway.