Whistys Paradise made her Grand River Raceway debut a winning one in Wednesday's $8,500 Fillies & Mares Preferred 2 Handicap Pace.
Jason Ryan drove Whistys Paradise to her first victory since being claimed for $12,500 on May 27 at Mohawk Racetrack by Gordon Hart, with Scott Friend taking over the training duties.
Katherine B fired out quickly from post eight to take command of the field off the gate over insiders Topanga Canyon and 1-5 favourite Evas Girl. She posted a :28.3 opening panel before Evas Girl tipped first over off the turn. Evas Girl went head-to-head with Katherine B as they raced by the half in :58.2 and kept up the pressure in a two-horse breakaway to three-quarters in 1:26.2. Katherine B eventually turned back the favourite, but Whistys Paradise charged three-wide from third over and swept by in the stretch to steal the spotlight. She closed out her 1:55.2 winning mile with a :28.1 final quarter. Taboo Seelster also closed well from the backfield to finish second over two lengths behind the winner, while Katherine B settled for third.
The six-year-old Western Paradise mare was the 5-1 second choice on the toteboard and paid $12.50 to win for the ninth time in 22 seasonal starts.
The favourites also went down to defeat in a pair of $7,500 Preferred 3 events for male pacers, with Warrior Call posting the biggest upset. Sent postward as the second-longest shot on the board at odds of 22-1, he returned $47.20 to his backers at the betting windows.
Warrior Call and driver Brad Forward followed in fourth-place throughout while 7-5 favourite Franceschetti challenged pacesetter Mister X (:27, :55.4, 1:24.1). Forward moved Warrior Call up on the cover during third panel and rallied three-wide into the stretch. Warrior Call got the last call as he defeated Franceschetti and Mister X to win by one and a quarter lengths in 1:55 flat.
Warrior Call has now won one-third of his 18 starts this year. Gord McDonnell trains and co-owns the five-year-old gelded son of Badlands Hanover with his partners Vince Orlando and Steve John.
Wildcat Cam and Billy Davis Jr. were victorious in the other Preferred 3 division, also closing from off-the-pace.
The quick-leaving Cat Four was followed by favourite Tero while Monte Cristo took back to third-place after a contested :26.2 opener. Cat Four continued to lead the way to the half :56.2 while Canadian Edition moved first over, but was only a mild threat through the third panel. As the field passed the 1:26.4 marker, Wildcat Cam fanned three-wide from third over with Half A Billion out even wider from the backfield and those two took off in the stretch. In the end, Wildcat Cam prevailed in 1:56 flat by one and three-quarter lengths over Half A Billion. Kid Galahad N came on for third.
Wildcat Cam paid $12.80 to win as the 5-1 fourth wagering choice. The five-year-old Camluck gelding, who is now two-for-seven in 2016, is campaigned by trainer Jamie Copley and co-owner Ryan Copley of Kenmore, Ont.
To view Wednesday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Wednesday Results - Grand River Raceway.