First Win For MacLeod; Masse Takes Features

Published: February 25, 2012 01:08 am EST

Fraser Downs’ Friday night card of harness racing was full of action with trainer Alina MacLeod celebrating her first career win and driver Serge Masse sweeping a pair of features to close out the program

.

Midway through the card, six-year-old claiming pacer Red Star Renegade provided 21-year-old Langley resident Alina MacLeod with her first training triumph.

Making his fourth start for the new conditioner, the Scott Knight-driven Red Star Renegade, owned by Surrey's Ed Babysh, converted from the pocket to pull off a 12-1 upset over the popular pacesetter Winter Bliss (Mike Short) and My Candidate (Don Monkman Jr.) in 1:59 flat over a sloppy track. He paid $27.80 to win.

MacLeod, a third generation horsewoman, is the program coordinator for Greener Pastures BC Standardbred Horse Adoption Society.

To begin Serge Masse's driving double, Miss Valentine champion Village Janus rebounded in the co-featured $12,500 Fillies & Mares Open Pace after making a break last time out.

Leaving from the inside post position, the Modern Art-Village Jest mare led from start to finish over the sloppy track. She carved out fractions of :29, 1:00.1, 1:28.3 en route to the 1:57.1 victory. Jennas Pass (Keith Clark) finished two lengths behind off a pocket trip and the popular Just Fiction (Jim Marino) rallied home from the back of the pack for third-place honours. Village Janus paid $9.30 to win as the 7-2 third choice.

The four-year-old mare, who is two-for-three on the year, notched her 10th career win and lifted her lifetime earnings to $297,818. She is owned by trainer Rod Therres and new partner Veikko Pajunen of Vancouver.

Masse also won the following $20,000 Spartacus Claiming Series Final with first leg champ Kg Mattattack.

Kg Mattattack battled with fellow preliminary leg winners Rehearsal Hall (J.F. Gagne) and Tre Bien (Scott Knight) three-wide for the early lead with Rehearsal Hall emerging between horses to take control. However, Tre Bien drove on from the outside and cleared to command at the :27.4 opening quarter mark.

Tre Bien led the way to the half in :57.2 and three-quarters in 1:26.3 with Kg Mattattack moving up to apply first over pressure into the stretch. Kg Mattattack struck the lead down the lane and then held off the second over rally of Tax Relief (Brad Watt) for the 1:56 victory by a neck. Kg Mattattack paid $4.80 to win as the 3-2 favourite.

Masse also owns and trains the 10-year-old Island Fantasy-Matt In The Hat gelding, who has won three of his seven races this year. Lifetime, Kg Mattattack has made 30 trips to the winner's circle while banking $265,111.

To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Fraser Downs.

Tags
Have something to say about this? Log in or create an account to post a comment.