Catch An Ace ($4.20) and Veyron ($9.00) proved best in Wednesday's (Aug. 11) $8,500 Preferred 3 events — for distaff pacers and for trotters, respectively — at Grand River Raceway.
In the Fillies and Mares Preferred 3 Handicap, the A1stable's Catch An Ace coasted through a :56.3 first half before driver Travis Cullen floored the accelerator up the backstretch. The six-year-old daughter of Bettors Delight sped to a six-length lead past three-quarters in 1:24.2, and, while Sporty Tori (Brett MacDonald) mounted a massive four-wide rally off the home turn, Catch An Ace found the line in time, winning by a diminishing length in 1:53.3. Sporty Tori's :27.4 closing quarter was the strongest of any in the field, earning her second honours over I Wish You Well (Scott Young), who was another 3-1/4 lengths behind.
Rachel Andrew trains 18-time winner Catch An Ace, whose two seasonal wins both came over the Elora, Ont., half-mile oval.
Veyron was likewise a front-end winner in the Preferred 3 Trot — but he had to work a lot harder to reach the winner's enclosure. J Harris rated the eight-year-old Muscles Yankee gelding through a :59.2 first half before 8-5 favourite Tymal Houdini (Travis Henry) advanced to engage him in a :28.3 third-quarter duel. Despite Tymal Houdini working to within a neck at the 1:28 three-quarters, Veyron remained resolute to the line, urged to withstand a cavalry charge to the winning post by a neck in 1:58.1. Cheatalotpov (MacDonald) lifted up the open stretch for second, Tymal Houdini held third despite levelling off, and fourth-place finisher Wild And Crazy Guy only missed by a length after rallying off second-over cover.
Paul Cameron trains 19-time winner Veyron for the TJS Stable.
To view Wednesday's complete results, click the following link: Wednesday Results – Grand River Raceway.