Mach Magic ($9.00) assumed control at the outset and never looked back in Wednesday evening’s (August 9) featured $7,500 Preferred 3 for pacing mares at Grand River Raceway, capturing her fifth seasonal win in pillar-to-post fashion.
Robert Shepherd put the five-year-old Mach Three mare in play immediately as the gates sprung, forcing Sr Beach Babe (Colin Kelly) into the pocket before the midpoint of the first turn. Mach Magic controlled splits of :28.1, :58.2, and accelerated at first asking en route to three-quarters in 1:27.1. After gaining two lengths of separation from Sr Beach Babe midway on the final turn and evading a mild first-over bid from A Plus (Scott Young)—who was parked the mile following a rebuffed leave attempt—Shepherd called upon Mach Magic for all she had in the stretch to maintain her lead. The now 13-time winner rose to the challenge, keeping Sr Beach Babe a length and a half at bay in 1:56. Sing Like An Angel (Travis Cullen) shook free nearing head-stretch, hooked three-wide, and charged belatedly to just miss the runner-up spot.
Anthony Beaton trains the David Lumsden homebred Mach Magic.
In the co-featured $8,000 top-level conditioned distaff event, Drift Panic ($4.30) earned back-to-back wins, sustaining a first-over push out of midfield and narrowly holding off Stargazing Cruiser for a 1:56.2 triumph. Paul MacKenzie drove the four-year-old Shadow Play mare for trainer Stephane Larocque and owner-breeder Brian Paquet.
To view Wednesday’s harness racing results, click on the following link: Wednesday Results – Grand River Raceway.