The track record for older pacing mares bit the dust at Exhibition Park Raceway on Thursday afternoon as eight quality distaffers lined up on the starting gate as in a leg of the Erwin Andrew Memorial Series
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Grace And Harv, who toured the oval in 1:56.2, knocked four fifths of a second off Abby Best’s former standard of 1:57.1 when she beat that rival in what turned out to be a knock ‘em down drag ‘em out battle.
Gilles Barrieau hustled Grace And Harv to immediate command from her post two starting spot, and she successfully chopped out panels of :29 and :58.2 before coming under heavy pressure from Abby Best (Todd Trites) on the way to the three-quarter pole. The mares buzzed by that marker in 1:27.4 before Grace And Harv prevailed by a neck in 1:56.2. Abby Best was a determined runner-up, with Slim N Sleek (Gordon Hennessey) taking home the show dough.
Barrieau trains the six-year-old daughter of Dexter Nukes for owners Wayne MacRea of Fall River, NS and Howmac Farms Ltd of North Wiltshire, PEI. Sent off as the 1-2 favourite, the 21-time winner extended her winning streak to seven-in-a-row while bumping her overall bankroll to $119,821.
The Erwin Andrew Memorial Series, which is sponsored by host tracks along with Standardbred Canada and Meridian Farms, will travel to the Charlottetown Driving Park for leg four on Thursday, September 30 before the final is contested at Summerside Raceway on Wednesday, October 20.
To view Thursday’s results, click here.