Locatelli came back better off a seventh-place finish in his Grand River Raceway Preferred-class debut a week ago, this time showing speed to take the $15,500 Preferred Trot on Monday, Aug. 10.
Sent off as the 8-5 favourite from post two, Locatelli was out-left early by P P E (Samuel Fillion), who crossed over from post five early, but he circled to the front on the first turn to lead at the conclusion of a :27.1 first quarter. Natasha Day rated Locatelli to the half in :56.3, then let him roll going to three-quarters in 1:25.2 as The Fixer (Scott Coulter) mounted a first-over attack. Those two sped away on the final turn, and Locatelli pushed clear of his opponent in the stretch to score by a length in 1:54.4. Veracruz (Dale Spence) chased them home for third.
Locatelli, trained by Day for Doug Millard of Woodstock, Ont., took his second win in five starts this season. The eight-year-old son of Muscle Hill-Girlie Tough is 21-for-130 lifetime with $632,286 in earnings. He paid $5.50 to win.
To view Monday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Monday Results - Grand River Raceway.
(Standardbred Canada)