The $11,000 Preferred 2 Pace and $11,000 Preferred 2 Trot headlined as the top classes at Grand River Raceway on Monday (Aug. 28) and each race featured a new track record set by their respective winners: Desperate Man and Dealin With Dewey.
Millonaire Desperate Man made his 10th appearance on the racetrack this season a winning one and one with a new track record at Grand River. With a final time of 1:50.1, the all-age record and track record for aged pacing geldings dropped from the previous 1:50.4 set by Rare Jewel in 2007.
Lets Tie One On (Ryan Desroche) and Ideal Perception (Anthony Haughan) battled it out for the early lead while Desperate Man (Garrett Rooney) settled into fourth, 9-1/2 lengths off the leaders as they passed the opening panel in :26. Ideal Perception took the field to the half in :54.3 and Desperate Man tipped out first over and surged to the top. Rooney and the Kathy Cecchin trainee took command and hit the three-quarters in 1:21.2 before powering to a 7-1/2-length achievement in record time. Ideal Perception took second and Arties Ideal (Samuel Fillion) was third.
Kathy & John Cecchin co-own the five-year-old gelded son of Shadow Play and the Artsplace mare Dreamlands Latte with Nicole & Paul Davies. Desperate Man moved his career tally to 11 wins with $1,170,981 earned. He paid $6.80 to win.
Dealin With Dewey won the Preferred 2 Trot, lowering the previous track record of 1:55.1 set by Sea Can earlier this year to a newly minted 1:54.3 for aged trotting geldings.
Jason Ryan and Dealin With Dewey settled into the far outside in the field of six as they gate led them to the start. Treasured Tee (Travis Henry) was the first to the top and took the role of the pacesetter for the mile. Treasured Tee clicked out panels in :27.3, :57.1 and 1:25.3. Dealin With Dewey started in fourth before moving first over after the opening panel, continuing on the outer charge through the third panel. Treasured Tee and Dealin With Dewey met head-to-head in the final turn, but Dealin With Dewey waved goodbye as he trotted off to a 2-1/2-length victory in track record time. Esquire (Colin Kelly) rounded out the top three.
Trained and owned by Sara Baillargeon, Dealin With Dewey earned his fifth win of the season to go along with $89,350 earned. The five-year-old gelded son of Wheeling N Dealin and the Deweycheatumnhowe mare Rockin With Dewey has a career bankroll of $210,896 and nine wins. He paid $3.60 to win.
Sandoon won the $8,500 Prospect Series for freshman trotting fillies in 2:02 with Bruce Richardson in the bike for trainer John Holding, who co-owns the Lookslikeachpndale filly with Morley Bosomworth.
To view Monday's harness racing results, click the following link: Monday Results - Grand River Raceway.