Speed was the name of the game in Monday’s featured events at Grand River Raceway, as Indiana Hall and Part Shark play successful games of “catch me if you can” in their respective Preferred assignments during the 12-race program
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Indiana Hall sliced out panels of :29.3, :59.1 and 1:28.4 for driver Trevor Henry in the $11,000 Preferred #2 for trotters before using a :29.3 closing frame of :29.3 to seal the deal in 1:58.2. Lexis D J, who tracked cover, sprinted to within one-quarter of a length of the winner, while Smokin Dabra was a bang-up third after doing the first-over work.
Ian Downey, who trains the eight-year-old Striking Sahbra-Inverlochy gelding for S S G Stables of North Boston, NY, has watched the veteran put together a 10-5-5 record from 25 trips to the track this season. That’s good for more than $85,000 in purse earnings for the 40-time winner. He has banked in excess of $672,000 to date.
Part Shark, who experienced road trouble and settled for third in the $60,000 Gold Cup & Saucer on August 20, has nothing but open road in front of him en route to an easy tally in Monday’s $11,000 Preferred #2 for pacers. With Scott Coulter at the helm, the Wayne Preszcator pupil carved out fractions of :28.3, :57 and 1:24.4 before using a :29-second kicker to win in 1:53.4. It was 1-3/4 lengths back to runner-up Future Million, with Acceptable Risk taking home the show dough.
The five-year-old son of Four Starzzz Shark-Pop Art, who is owned by the Secret Weapon Stables of Waterloo, ON, improved his 2011 record to 5-3-1 in 17 tries with the win. The 20-time winner has stashed away more than $44,000 this year and close to $300,000 in his career.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Grand River Raceway.