Drag Queens took Grand River Raceway by storm last Friday evening, but on Monday night it was all about Preferred performers of both gaits at the Elora half-miler
.
Secret Weapon uncorked a 1:53.1 triumph in the $10,000 Preferred-2 Pace for the tandem of driver Paul MacKenzie and trainer Wayne Preszcator. The nine-year-old son of Western Hanover battled throughout the mile before sprinting home in :27.3 to post the one-length win over the out-of-the-clouds closer, Blissfull Breeze. Come Back, who was part of the front-end battle throughout the mile, was third.
Sent off as the 4-5 favourite in the nine-horse affair, Secret Weapon notched his third win of the season in seven starts for the Secret Weapon Stables of Waterloo, ON. The career winner of 39 races has now stashed away more than $477,000 in lifetime earnings.
Graham Jackson’s Just One Day was a wire-to-wire winner in the Preferred ranks at Western Fair Raceway on May 27, and the homebred followed up that triumph with a come-from-behind score in Monday’s $10,000 Preferred-2 Trot for Team Holliday – driver Ryan and trainer Dave.
The daughter of Earl settled into the six-hole when the gate sped away, and that left Long Ago on the front end through fractions of :28, :58.1 and 1:28. Jazzman Hall put pressure on the leader at the mid-way point, with Just One Day tracking that foe’s cover from second over. Jazzman Hall took over command before the top of the stretch, but he couldn’t maintain the lead for long. Just One Day summoned up a :29.4 closing kick to win by a nose over a hard-closing Indiana Hall, with third-place finisher Jazzman Hall beaten just a head for the whole enchilada.
Sent off at odds of 8-1, five-year-old improved her 2011 record to a very impressive 7-1-3 in 13 starts. The consistent campaigner is now a 19-time winner to date, and she has managed to put away in excess of $132,000 in lifetime earnings.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Grand River Raceway.