P.E.I. filly wins Ontario debut

Betternotmachme (Betterthancheddar) trekked first-over to victory in her first harness racing start in Ontario on Wednesday (Sep. 20) at Grand River Raceway.

The filly, who made all previous 14 starts on Prince Edward Island, got away third. Panningfortreasure  (Garrett Rooney) took the field to the quarter in :27.4, and Travis Cullen pulled Betternotmachme to the outside as the leader neared the midway point in :57.1.

Betternotmachme advanced in a hot third panel, pulling abreast of the leader as they hit three-quarters in 1:25.2. They both battled under a drive into the final turn, when Matthews Rita (Anthony Haughan) joined the party three-wide. Bettornotmachme emerged from between the two and forged to the front as they entered the stretch, and she got home a winner in 1:55.3.

Matthews Rita had the freshest late legs but could only narrow the gap to a length-and-a-half as she took second. Sporty Lil Vixen (Brett MacDonald) was third.

BETTORNOTMACHME REPLAY

Bettornotmachme was four-for-14 in her home province, making all but one of those starts at three. She won a P.E.I. Colt Stakes Grassroots division in her final start at Charlottetown on Sep. 9 before she shipped to trainer Jodie Cullen in Ontario. The filly has earned $16,627 for owner/breeders Wayne MacRae of Fall River and Howmac Farms of Brookfield. She earned a new lifetime mark with her 1:55.3 mile on Wednesday.

The card also saw Peter Crown (Chip Chip Hooray, MacDonald) upset at 68-1 in race 10. The six-year-old gelding brushed assertively to the front past a struggling leader in the third quarter and hung on by a neck  in 1:58.2. It was the second win of the year for both Peter Crown and trainer Steve Watson.

PETER CROWN REPLAY

Grand River Raceway hosts its third-to-last card of racing for the year on Friday, Sep. 22. Post time is 6:30 p.m. EDT.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink