Speed ruled in Monday’s Preferred events at Grand River Raceway, as The Rev and Buttermilk Hanover went the distance in their respective assignments.
The Rev captured the $8,500 Preferred 3 for horse and gelding pacers with driver Chris Matthews engineering the gate-to-wire triumph with the Gregg McNair trainee.
Matthews hustled the nine-year-old son of Western Paradise-Red Sea to the lead from Post 2 and together they carved out panels of :27.4, :56.2 and 1:24.4 before using a :30.1 closing quarter to win by 1-1/4 lengths over the dead-heating tandem of Jake Parrish and Hidden Potential in 1:55.
Jeffrey Skinner of Hammonds Plains, NS owns the veteran who nabbed his first win of the season and the 35th of his career. The victory pushed his lifetime earnings over $565,000.
Buttermilk Hanover was bet off the board in the $8,500 Preferred 3 for filly and mare pacers, and she posted a facile score for the team of driver Robert Shepherd and trainer Melissa Lamoureux.
Shepherd rolled the six-year-old daughter of Badlands Hanover-Bet Me Hanover to the lead from Post 1 and the never looked back. The mare sliced out splits of :27.4, :57.2 and 1:26.1 before using a :28.4 closing panel to win by 1-1/4 lengths over Ride Away Shark in 1:55. Twice An Angel took home the show dough.
Jeff Boyd and 8113564 Canada Ltd share ownership on the 18-time winner who now boasts a 2-5-2 record from 22 trips to the track this season. She pushed here lifetime earnings over $270,000 with the win.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Grand River Raceway.