Sizzlen Hot Herbie cooks up Preferred upset

Sizzlen Hot Herbie (Here Comes Herbie) converted the ideal steer provided by harness racing driver Natasha Day into a 13-1 upset victory in the Preferred Trot at Grand River Raceway on Monday (Jun. 27).

Day, starting from post two, picked up the two-hole thanks to a break by the quick-leaving Tymal Houdini (Colin Kelly) and closed the hole on Scene A Magician (Garrett Rooney) to secure the position. Andy Over (Ed Hensley) supplied the :28 first split time and enjoyed a leisurely second fraction en route to a :59.2 half.

Los Ballykeelamigo (Scott Coulter) hurried the leader to three-quarters in 1:28.2 but dropped back as the field turned for the finish. It was then a simple task for Sizzlen Hot Herbie to swing out on the far turn and dash past Andy Over to score in 1:58.3. His margin was three-quarters of a length.

Scene A Magician moved up late for third.

SIZZLEN HOT HERBIE REPLAY

Day owns, trains, and drives Sizzlen Hot Herbie. She became his trainer in late 2019 and bought him outright in March 2020. The gelding has won 23 times and earned $201,930 in 147 lifetime tries.

Pembrook Legacy N (Bettors Delight) capitalized on a similar trip under the guidance of Lorne House to capture the Horses and Geldings Preferred Handicap Pace.

The nine-year-old sprinted out from post five to take the pocket for House behind the quicker Champagne Phil (Tyler Moore). The latter rattled off :27.4 and :57.4 first-half panels before Braeview Bondi A (Anthony Haughan) began to knock on the door from first-over going to three-quarters in 1:26.1.

Champagne Phil vacated the pylons as the top two dueled into the lane, allowing Pembrook Legacy N to finish quickest of all and take the win up the passing lane in 1:55.1.

He beat Champagne Phil by three-quarters of a length. Braeview Bondi A was just behind in third. Correct win bets returned $6.20.