With a sweeping three-wide move at the third quarter pole, last year's Battle of Belles upset winner Cheese Party claimed the Prospect Series title for three-year-old pacing fillies on familiar ground as Grand River Raceway hosted the $15,000 sophomore finals on Friday evening, Sept. 27
Cheese Party ($2.50) picked up her fifth straight win in a streak that included a pair of Prospect victories at Grand River and Kawartha Downs. The popular Betterthancheddar-Tea Party Princess filly kicked home off cover in :28.2 to win in 1:53.4 by three-quarters of a length over pacesetter Wheres My Phone and late-closer Distant Lover, with Austin Sorrie working out the winning trip for owner/trainer Kyle Bossence of Arthur, Ont.
In the final for filly trotters, favourite Shetrotsalot ($2.90) lived up to her name as she trotted to the top alongside the leading Sue Anne heading to the final turn and took off by three lengths in the stretch for the 1:57.1 triumph with Scott Young driving the Muscle Mass-Angostura miss for trainer Paul Walker and owner Keith Coulter of Mono, Ont. Sue Anne held on for second over Dontmesswithmama.
Despite a trailing tier start in the final for pacing colts and geldings, Onyx Bovino ($19) was put in play by J Harris to establish early position behind the three favourites as they each took turns on top before the 8-1 shot wore down late leader Larjon Levi in a 1:52.1 career-best effort. Lacey McCabe trains the homebred gelding by Bettors Delight out of Lady Terror for Glenview Livestock Ltd. of Ingersoll, Ont. Tricky McWicky finished third over even-money Lamborghini Lou.
Favourite Wheelzablazin ($2.80) capped off a successful stint in the Prospect Series with a 1:58.1 victory in the final for three-year-old male trotters. The Wheeling N Dealin-Blazing Shot gelding, who had three wins in the preliminary legs, was a front-end winner by a length with pocket-sitter Lockdown Romeo at the pylons and Livingitlarge closing from the back of the five-pack to claim third prize. The winning connections were driver Jason Ryan, trainer Paul Cameron and owner Arnolds Horse Shack of Mississauga, Ont.
The remaining Prospect preliminary events for the two-year-old divisions will wrap up over the next few days with the freshman finals completing the series on Oct. 11 at The Raceway at Western Fair District.
In other series action, a Pop-Up event concluded with Bettor Deal ($20.20) and Daryl Thiessen winning the $12,500 final in 1:54.4 and capping off a training triple on the 11-race card for Ashley Lendvoy. The Rod Boyd-trained Tribal Dancer ($3.20) took the $8,000 consolation in 1:54 with Todd Ratchford in the sulky. The series was for fillies and mares not averaging $650 per start in 2024 with a minimum of 10 starts.
Grand River Raceway will close out its 2024 harness racing meet on Monday, Sept. 30 at 6:30 p.m.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Grand River Raceway.
(Standardbred Canada; Photo of Cheese Party winning on Sept. 27)