After having been hammered down to 30 cents on the dollar by post time, Mach Three gelding Tripper showed that he was more than lucid Sunday afternoon (December 4) at Fraser Downs, as the sharp bay extended his unbeaten streak to five.
A homebred of Albert and Lois Branham of Sherwood Park, Alberta, Tripper lined up in Post 3 for Race 3, a conditioned claiming event with a pot of $4,400.
After having made all of his 36 career starts for conditioner Marjorie Dumont, the gelding started for trainer Justin Currie on Sunday and was all business. Pilot Scott Knight fired Tripper off the starting gate. The duo were overland when the clicked off the opening quarter-mile timer in :27.4.
Tripper remained in command for the rest of the mile. He cut the opening half mile in :57.3, sped past the three-quarters pole in 1:27.2, and came home in :29.4 to seal the deal in 1:57.1. The winning margin was two and three-quarter lengths.
Blissful Angel (driven by Dennis Johnston) raced second and finished second, while Fox Valleyrichrokr (Rod Therres) raced third and finished third.
Tripper, who will turn five in the new year, has now won nine of his 37 career starts. He has won five of his 12 starts this season and has added a pair of second-place finishes, as well. The gelding has now earned $14,419 this season and $34,180 lifetime.
Tripper wasn’t the only chalk horse to honour his backing at Fraser on Sunday, as seven of the nine dashes that went postward during the card were won by the post time favourite.
To view the harness racing results for Sunday at Fraser, click the following link: Sunday Results – Fraser Downs.