A set of $10,000 Preferred events – one for pacers and the other for trotters – highlighted Monday evening’s 12-race card at Grand River Raceway
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The trotters squared off first, and Long Ago used his tactical speed to perfection en route to pulling off an 18-1 upset for driver Bruce Richardson.
Richardson hustled the John Holding trainee right to the lead from Post 8, and after leading through panels of :28.3, :58.4 and 1:29 the six-year-old son of Duke Of York-Hope Floats coasted home in a :31-second clip to post the one-length score in 2:00. Bank President was second under the line, and third prize was earned by Hava Kadabra.
Holding shares ownership on the gelding with Bryan Montgomery of Fergus, ON. The victory improves the gelding’s 2011 record to 4-5-1 from 13 tries. He has stashed away in excess of $43,000 in earnings this season and more than $219,000 to date.
Blissfull Breeze chalked one up for the favourite players when he romped to a five-length triumph in the $10,000 Preferred Pace for the tandem of driver Scott Coulter and trainer Dean Nixon.
Sent off as the 4-5 choice, the eight-year-old son of Blissfull Hall-Melbourne Breeze got away fourth from the pole position, but he was on the move as the field passed the mid-way point. It didn’t take him long to brush to the top, and once he got there it was game over. The gelding used a :28.3 final frame to stop the teletimer in 1:53.3. Kid Carson was second best and third prize went to Three Cents.
Blissfull Breeze, who is owned by Leo Racicot of Harrow, ON, now boasts a 4-3-1 record this season from 14 starts. He has stashed away more than $244,000 to date.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Grand River Raceway.