Read The Proposal just held off Premium Stock in a 1-2 finish in Monday's $10,500 Open Pace for Fraser Downs' 2016 leading trainer Jim Marino.
Driven by James Burke, Read The Proposal took the lead from post three and carved out fractions of :28.3, 1:00 and 1:29.3 over the frozen track with inside starter Medicine Hat and Travis Bowman tracking in the pocket spot while Premium Stock and Marino pulled out from third. In a sprint to the wire, Read The Proposal prevailed by half a length over his stablemate in 1:58.1 while Medicine Hat held for third almost two lengths behind.
The Marino trainees were the longest shots on the board at 16-1 and 30-1, respectively, combining to produce a $2 Exactor payoff of $192.30. Sterling Cooper, the 8-5 favourite, trailed the six-horse field and was unable to improve his position throughout for driver Dave Hudon.
The winner is a five-year-old gelded son of Bettors Delight, owned by the J J J Stables of Prince George, B.C. A runner-up in the late-November Jim Vinnell Memorial while racing from the Justin Currie stable, Read The Proposal was third in his first start in Fraser's Open Pace last time out on December 16. He now has four wins from 10 starts since arriving in B.C. from Ontario in the fall.
Lifetime, Read The Proposal has won nine races out of 62 starts and $115,745 in purse earnings.
Marino and the J J J Stables also had a win with first-race favourite Comes Home First on Monday. The Debra McCarthy-trained Whatkindofchance gave the J J J Stables an owner triple. Burke and trainer/driver John Chappell were also repeat winners, each with a double on the day.
To view Monday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Monday Results - Fraser Downs.