P L Oliver best at London

P L Oliver (Sportswriter) led throughout the featured Preferred Pace at The Raceway at the Western Fair District on Monday (Apr. 15) for his fourth win of the harness racing season.

Colin Kelly rated the gelding to fractions of :28.1, :57.3, and 1:25.4. Ideal Perception (Anthony Haughan) pulled out to provide first-over pressure coming down the backstretch and drew alongside the leader coming into the lane with Homey Joe (Lorne House) looking to make a move from the pocket. Neither bore fruit, though, as P L Oliver had plenty left to neutralize their advances and close out the victory in 1:54.4. Homey Joe pipped Ideal Perception for place.

P L OLIVER REPLAY

P L Oliver lowered his seasonal mark with the win, his 21st lifetime. The gelding has been a Preferred type for much of the last two seasons and has missed a cheque only three times in the past 12 months. Matt Dupuis owns and trains the six-year-old who has earned $225,906 in 115 career starts.

Also on the card, 2023 Prospect Series champion Crazy World (Control The Moment) made a victorious four-year-old debut. The gelding wired the field in 1:55.2 for driver Garrett Rooney and trainer Kathy Cecchin, extending his win streak to six. He is now 10-for-20 lifetime with $64,315 in earnings for owners John and Kathy Cecchin.

CRAZY WORLD REPLAY

Trainer Rick Edwards secured his first career training double as both of his horses, Crankys Boy (Astronomical) and La Sun Control (Control The Moment) won on the night. The former, an eight-year-old gelding, stopped the clock in 1:57 in his 17th lifetime victory. La Sun Control made it back-to-back scores as the four-year-old swooped three-wide on the backstretch to win in 1:56.2. The double increased Edwards’s career tally by a third; he is now eight-for-79.

The Raceway at the Western Fair District hosts its next card on Tuesday, Apr. 16. The 11-race program, starting at 5:50 p.m. EDT, features a Preferred Trot.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink