It was a productive Monday night at the office at Grand River Raceway for trainer Richard Moreau, who celebrated a three-win performance on the 11-race card.
The seven-time O’Brien Award winner as the nation’s Trainer of the Year was blanked through the first half of the program, but he couldn’t be stopped in the back half of the Monday nighter.
Brett MacDonald guided the Moreau-trained J P Oscar to a 1:54.1 triumph in Race 7, and they were back to victory lane with Giddy Up Max (1:57.2 – Race 9).
Pro Beach used come-from-behind tactics to give MacDonald and Moreau their third winners on the card, and the pacer did so in the featured $11,500 Preferred 2 Handicap for horse and gelding pacers.
The five-year-old son of Somebeachsomewhere-Darlins Delight got away fifth and held that position while Highland Tartan tore through first-half fractions of :27 and :56. He was still the leader at the three-quarter pole in 1:25, but Tyga Hanover was applying first-over pressure with Pro Beach stalking his cover from second over. Pro Beach then used a :29-second final frame to sprint to the lead and secure the neck decision over Highland Tartan in 1:54.1. Jack Of Clubs was a lapped-on third in the six-horse affair.
The gelding is owned by Sylvain Descheneaux, GAAR Racing Stables and Gaston Bibeau. It was the fourth win of the season and the ninth to date for the career winner of $183,689.
As for Moreau, he’s racked up 136 wins this year for purse earnings in excess of $2.1 million. The career winner of 6,045 races watched his lifetime earnings climb over $60 million earlier this year.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Grand River Raceway.