Forwardly placed off the gate, driver Kelly Hoerdt set West Coast Beach up for success in the $10,000 Open Handicap Pace at Fraser Downs on Friday, April 4.

Leaving from the outermost posts in a full field of eight with one trailer, West Coast Beach stung Itll Be Fine (David Hudon) through a :26.3 opening panel then tracked loosely from the two-hole through middle splits of :56.1 and 1:24 before coming on strong in the stretch to end his rival's streak and score in 1:54 by 1-1/4 lengths.

The outer flow -- with Whiplash Smile (Allan Molloy) parked from the start first-up followed by the winner's favoured stablemate Tzilacatzin (Scott Knight) second-over -- deteriorated in the stretch drive and Brace For Impact (Robert Scrannage) shot up the passing lane to edge out Itll Be Fine in a photo finish for second, just ahead of the oncoming Connie Kolthammer-trained siblings, Outlaw C My Shadow (Tyson Jacoby) and Outlawstaythcourse (John Abbott).

West Coast Beach won the first Preferred of the Fraser meet before Ill Be Fine won three in a row last month. He was sent postward as the 3-1 third choice and paid $8.50 to win.

West Coast Beach now boasts two wins and two seconds from his first five starts of the season competing in the top class at Fraser Downs. Rebecca Kanak trains and co-owns the eight-year-old Sunshine Beach-Village Janus gelding with Timothy Gordon of Spruce Grove, Alta. Lifetime, West Coast Beach has won 34 times while earning more than $230,000.

The Open was one of three races in a row won by Hoerdt, tying him with Scott Knight for most driving victories on the eight-race card. 

One of Knight's victories was in rein to the lightly race five-year-old pacer Tahuya Devil ($2.10), who remained undefeated this season and extended his win streak dating back to December, when he won the opener in wire-to-wire fashion. Knight drove the son of American Ideal to his fifth consecutive victory -- this one in 1:53.1 -- for trainer/owner Erik Neyhart.

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

(Standardbred Canada)