Best Bet – (4) ADORE HIM – Race 11
Spot Play – (7) REAL WICKED – Race 7
20-cent Early Pick 5 – Race 1 – 1,2,5/1,6/5,7/1,6,8/3 = $7.20
20-cent Late Pick 5 – Race 8 – 5/3,6,8/1,5,6/1,4/1,4,7 = $10.80
20-cent Early Pick 4 – Race 3 – 5,7/1,6,8/2,3,5/2,3 = $7.20
20-cent Late Pick 4 – Race 9 – 3,6,8/1,5,6/1,4/1,4,7 = $10.80
Race 1 — (5) MAYFAIR WELL recorded 4 of his 7 seasonal wins over 5/8-mile Tioga Downs, the remainder at Flamboro, where he was under attack most of his latest winning mile; Tyler Borth takes the lines for the field's co-winningest trotter of 2021's Western Fair debut. Beaten 6/5 fave (2) LOS BALLYKEELAMIGO gets significant driver change after leaving strongly from rail and cutting early fractions Friday; Marc St. Louis Jr. was aboard the winner of that contest, Conquest As; overtaken in deep stretch by (1) MISSYS MAGIC MAN, who used passing lane to his advantage; 75/1 shot was unexpectedly good with stalking trip on class jump after Flamboro win; another noteworthy driver change.
Race 2 — Second consecutive start with Lasix for (1) COCO BEACH DE VIE; class hike but return to regular mile distance for mare with two early-season victories here at distaff 15000clmcd classification; quick turnaround for versatile Tuesday winner. (6) LYDIAS LIBERTY closed in field's co-second-fastest 29-flat last Friday, when she finished third despite outside post; driver change to Marc St. Louis Jr. suits typical front-end strategy, although tonight's post doesn't. (4) CENTURY GEORGIA was first-over from second last on the second turn last Friday; matched strides with Golden Leader, put her away in the stretch, and was picked off by late-charging Marzannk Hanover (#7 here); game effort for win-averse mare.
Race 3 — (7) ROAD TO REDEMPTION could be on one; spotted the field at least 3 lengths at the start December 10 due to early break behind the gate; made up some 20 lengths to catch field and launch legit first-over bid nearing half; second from tonight's post in The Raceway's Nw5000cld company October 15, also for trainer/driver Mike Budway...at 26/1. (5) MASSIVE OVATION and Scott Coulter left well and led strung-out field much of last Friday's mile; battled gamely to wire against winning first-up fave Hang On Baby; maiden remains vulnerable late. Closer (4) TAKEAPEEK AT ME has gained ground but not position in his last three tries for catch driver Brett MacDonald; trainer Brian Dunbar returns to bike, perhaps to figure out fast, trotting-hobbled two-year-old with breaking issues.
Race 4 — Class-dropping (1) RYE N CLYNE looks ready to floor it for Marc St. Louis Jr.; expecting front-end trip like most recent winning effort at Leamington, also from rail; St. Louis' apparent choice over #5 Kingsley B and place specialist (6) TOMITTA BAYAMA; a post 7 winner here at lower claiming tag March 7; gate speed and stamina. (8) KEVNDAN FRAUDSTERS intrigues from second tier; caught behind stalled cover in most recent effort from same post, December 7, he unleashed three-wide move on last turn; won in last effort for Scott Coulter.
Race 5 — (3) STONEBRIDGE NITRO gets post relief after series of adventurous trips; statistically-best post for London trotters; could be Nat Day's pick over (2) CAN DO IT ALL, who returns from Flamboro, scene of her only two pari-mutuel wins this year; front-end-loving filly hasn't been able to maintain advantage in last tries at Western Fair, despite similar length of stretch. (5) DAYLON MIDNIGHT was parked from outside post last week; early-season Western Fair win streak for Jennifer Pinkerton and driver Garrett Rooney, who drives (1) HOMETOWN BOYZ this race; good qualifier here last Thursday, although he's been off since September and has been winless so far in 2021. (4) PLAYFULL ELEGANCE hasn't hit board in two recent tries with catch driver Marc St. Louis Jr.; nose on the gate last Friday, she jumped straight into a run at the start; caught field on second turn, gaining ground late in three-wide move, but winless-in-2021 mare paid price for early miscue.
Race 6 — (3) TOP HALL drops in from Mohawk; first away at the start there last Thursday, he settled third and began gapping after the half; lone 2021 victory was at Grand River June 16; third consecutive start with Lasix; seasonal debut here with Tyler Borth. (2) TRADE BARRIER draws well, hopes to rebound after disappointing result from second tier December 3; beaten 8/5 fave raced second-last to the opening quarter and had to step around a minor chain reaction of rivals making contact; second-over tow behind Louis at the half, but already hard-used in tiring trip; Garrett Rooney stays loyal. (5) PETRO ANGEL moves into front tier from trailing post as well; a going-away winner in previous start here, racing safely ahead of the issues that Trade Barrier faced that race.
Race 7 — (7) REAL WICKED seems less reliant on front-end tactics than other strong contenders this race; five starts this year at Western Fair, producing all four of his seasonal victories; won from #7 hole here November 7. Former Rideau Carleton regular (5) ITS EDS IDEA and Marc St. Louis Jr. wired from London rail the last time they teamed up; undefeated on half-mile tracks and Lasix this year; post unsuited to favoured trip. Free-legged (4) OAKROCK ELDORADO won his last race at Western Fair; gate-to-wire effort in added-distance event was at lower claiming level; returns from Mohawk, successfully stalking and hitting board even on class jump in two recent tries.
Race 8 — (5) BARRYS SHELBY joins forces with Marc St. Louis Jr. and returns to front-tier post this week; raced single-file fifth until getting rolling at three-quarters last Thursday, unable to make up much ground in a short but well-spaced-out field. (8) CATCH MY CONTRAIL improved when he returned to Western Fair from Flamboro last week; Tyler Borth picks up catch drive on winless-in-2021 gelding who was nonetheless second here back on April Fool's Day, shadowing a gate-to-wire Chuck Heaton Love and holding on...at 30/1; trailing post. (2) EINHORN improved in back-to-back starts for Nat Day; February 24, he faced similar-calibre company here from identical post, stalked from third along pylons, and was narrowly nosed out in what Sugar Doyle called a "three-across thriller."
Race 9 — Two-year-old (6) POCKET MONSTER has humbled rivals in latest consecutive starts for Jason Ryan; driver change to Scott Coulter, for whom she was covered up and shuffled back over "good" surface the previous week; nearly circled field that week in impressive late bid to grab show spot. (8) HAVARTIWON gets trailing post after gate-to-wire victory; previous win was in July at Clinton, in similar front-end style; all that gate speed tough to put into play this race. (3) ASHLEES DELIGHT seems overlooked in morning-line odds; struggled at Mohawk last Thursday, but finds class/post relief; first up from sixth in latest try at Western Fair, she stalled on the outside but came on again in the stretch.
Race 10 — (5) SHADOW TAIL blasted to a 1:55.4 gate-to-wire London victory March 10 for Austin Sorrie; unhelpful posts in last three tries at The Raceway; not tonight, when he's also got Marc St. Louis Jr. aboard. (6) KENNY JOE makes only his third seasonal start, from outermost post in short field; beaten 3/5 fave last Friday has one 2021 victory to date, for catch driver James MacDonald. (1) LEVIS DAY is one of three Vic Puddy horses entered tonight at The Raceway; while disappointing in recent Ottawa starts, his most recent victory was a front-end trip at this track, albeit for Marc St. Louis Jr., who has opted off this race but is down to drive him here on Boxing Day.
Race 11 — (4) ADORE HIM typically took on Preferred-3 company here and at Clinton Raceway this season; returning from lengthy layoff, but served notice from post 7 last Thursday, winning in the fastest of the three qualifiers, with the fastest (29.1) closing quarter of any horse in those qualifiers; Scott Wray stays with him for return to pari-mutuel action. (1) SNAP TEST left aggressively last Friday in added-distance event, pressed just as aggressively by a first-over Good And Sweet; came up empty in the stretch; driver change to Scott Coulter suits inside post for gelding who's been winless this year, campaigning at Mohawk. (3) DAY DELIGHT adds Lasix after leaving first and fading to last in Mohawk Pop-Up Series start; winless since his Ontario debut October 31 at Rideau Carleton; note all five seasonal victories were on PEI's half-mile tracks, including a Governors' Plate elimination; class drop.
Race 12 — (4) SPARE SEED has trainer Mike Budway back in the sulky following last Thursday's winning qualifier; break-prone gelding's lone seasonal victory was at Western Fair March 1, when he took early command and won going away; has gone offstride when accelerating on turns in last two pari-mutuel efforts. (7) FORTUNE TELLERS K improved on recent class drop; her best results this year were back in July at Clinton and Sarnia. (1) THOR SEELSTER raced nose-to-helmet in pocket behind 1/9 winner Pollar Hall last Friday; Scott Coulter replaces Marc St. Louis Jr., who drives (6) ENCHANTED MISSION this race; winless this year, he was boxed in and shuffled back last Saturday at Flamboro; tried passing lane but ran out of racetrack. (5) JOONER was a March 30 winner at this track for Tyler Borth; stalked and surprised pacesetting Lady Caterina; followed in fifth and tipped wide at top of stretch last Friday; closing for minor shares.
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Melissa Keith is a lifelong harness handicapper/bettor, Hervey/O'Brien Media Excellence Award-winning writer, and occasional racecaller. She is a contributor to TROT, Hoof Beats, Atlantic Post Calls, and Harness Racing Update, often covering topics related to wagering. Her most memorable bets include taking down the Truro Raceway Pick-7 pool for a $36 investment (it has not been offered since) and collecting $1,287 for a Woodbine Harness Pick-4, which cost $1.60.
Photo by Ryan Clements Photos
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