Haydens Little Man held off favourites Rise Up Now and Saulsbrook Peach in a three-across finish for his first Grand River Raceway victory in Wednesday night's $11,000 Preferred 2 Pace.
Insider Haydens Little Man was out-sprinted off the gate, but took the lead early and held on by a head after carving out fractions of :27.1, :56 and 1:24.1 for the mild 6-1 upset in 1:53.3. Rise Up Now advanced from third with Saulsbrook Peach following outside before they fanned out across the finish line in the win photo. Haydens Little Man paid $14.30 to win.
Jason Ryan trains and drive the four-year-old son of American Ideal for owner Jeffrey Potok of Lake Worth, Florida. The win was the pacer's third in seven starts since shipping to Canada following a winter campaign at Pompano Park.
Katherine B ($11.60) and catch-driver Brad Forward won the $7,500 Fillies & Mares Preferred 3 in front-end fashion, holding off pocket-pursuer Evas Girl by half a length in 1:56.1. The seven-year-old Western Ideal mare is trained by Gord McDonnell and owned by E. Thomas Knight of South Woodslee, Ont.
In the $7,500 Preferred 3 for horses and geldings, Single White Sock ($11.90) rallied out four-wide into the stretch and collared the popular pacesetter Wildcat Cam at the wire in 1:57 flat for driver Paul MacKenzie. The four-year-old Badlands Hanover gelding is conditioned by Ted MacDonnell for owner Leonard Gamble of Etobicoke, Ont.
To view Wednesday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Wednesday Results - Grand River Raceway.