A set of Preferred affairs – one for pacers and one for their trotting counterparts – went postward Monday evening at Grand River Raceway with Pembrook Legacy N and Sizzlen Hot Herbie prevailing in their respective assignments.
Pembrook Legacy N sat a pocket trip behind Champagne Phil in the $11,000 Preferred for horse and gelding pacers, and he parlayed that sweet trip into a 1:55.1 score for trainer/driver Lorne House.
Champagne Phil wheeled the field through fractions of :27.4, :57.4 and 1:26.1 before being overhauled in the closing strides by Pembrook Legacy N. He used a :28.4 closing quarter to defeat Champagne Phil by three-quarters of a length. Odds-on favourite Braeview Bondi A was third.
The nine-year-old son of Bettors Delight-Pembrook Milly is owned by Samuel Taylor of Lucan, Ont. The veteran now owns a 5-1-1 record from 12 trips to the track this season. The 15-time winner has banked close to $120,000 to date.
Sizzlen Hot Herbie also received a two-hole trip in the $11,000 Preferred event for trotters, and he offered a handsome reward to his pari-mutuel backers.
The eight-year-old son of Here Comes Herbie-Six Red erupted for a 13-1 upset for owner/trainer/driver Natasha Day of
Day got away second with Sizzlen Hot Herbie, who was able to stalk tempo-setting Andy Over through fractions of :28, :59.2 and 1:28.2. A :29.4 final quarter was enough for Sizzlen Hot Herbie to prevail by three-quarters of a length over Andy Over in 1:58.3. Scene A Magician rallied to grab the show dough in the nine-horse affair.
It was the third win of the season from 14 starts for Sizzlen Hot Herbie, who is now a 23-time winner to date. The win pushed his lifetime earnings over $200,000.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Grand River Raceway.