Better Be Gouda wins first Preferred

Better Be Gouda (Betterthancheddar) took his highest-level harness racing victory on Monday (Apr. 29) in the Preferred at The Raceway at the Western Fair District.

Travis Henry sent the gelding on a speed mission to get it done, getting him to the front by the quarter in :27.3. Better Be Gouda reached the half in :57.4, when Docsphillycheese (Alfie Carroll) moved first-up.

The attacker made marginal gains after three-quarters in 1:25.3 but dropped back by a length turning for home. Ideal Perception (Anthony Haughan) then came into play from the pocket, but Better Be Gouda was home comfortably to win in 1:54.4.

Ideal Perception was second, a length from Pembrook Legacy N (Lorne House) in third.

BETTER BE GOUDA REPLAY

Better Be Gouda is now 29-for-198 lifetime with $234,260 in earnings. Monday’s cheque will be the biggest he’s ever received, and it was his first career Preferred win. Black Macintosh trains the eight-year-old homebred for Leanne Murphy of St. George.

Also on the card, 2023 Prospect Series winner Crazy World (Control The Moment) extended his undefeated streak to seven. The gelding took over at the quarter and was never headed again, winning in 1:54.4 for driver Garrett Rooney. The Kathy Cecchin-trained four-year-old resumed off a seven-month break on Apr. 15 and is unbeaten since August 2023. He won the Prospect Series Final in his final start of last year. Cecchin co-owns the four-year-old with John Cecchin.

CRAZY WORLD REPLAY

Racing continues at The Raceway at the Western Fair District on Tuesday, Apr. 30 at 5:50 p.m. EDT. A Preferred Trot headlines the card.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink