Longshot Sun Of A Joe and odds-on favourite Im Victor captured the $8,500 Autumn Series first-leg divisions for two- and three-year-old pacing colts and geldings on Sunday, Oct. 12 at Flamboro Downs.

Sun Of A Joe was looped by three opponents from the pylon post, but after two of them broke stride on the first turn, Andy Moore sent him to the lead before a :29 quarter. He had an unchecked lead through :57.4 and 1:27 middle fractions, with him and pocket-sitter Bet I Will (Austin Sorrie) in a two-horse race heading into the final turn. Bet I Will looked to the passing lane and made headway on the leader, but Sun Of A Joe held him off by three-quarters of a length for a 1:56.3 victory. Larjon Loni (Lorne House) finished third.

Sun Of A Joe won for the second time in 14 appearances for owner-trainer Jamie Doig of Petrolia, Ont. The sophomore son of Sunfire Blue Chip-J M Chicago has earned $10,387. He returned $50.60.

In the second split, Im Victor ducked inside a breaking rival and pressed on to the top from post four, reaching the engine at the quarter in :28.2. Travis Cullen got him a breather to the half in :58.1, then let the colt roll to three-quarters in 1:27.2 to open up a 3-1/2-length lead. Im Victor motored home, extending the margin to 6-3/4 lengths and closing out the mile in 1:55.4. Night Wash (Nick Boyd) finished second over Moment Tom (Daryl Thiessen).

Im Victor, trained by Cory Fuller, is four-for-eight with $14,505 in earnings since debuting earlier this season at three. Kyle Strejch of Coldwater, Ont. owns the son of Sportswriter-Im Stunning. The win price was $2.80.

The Autumn Series is for Ontario-sired non-winners of $10,000 lifetime as of Sept. 30. The series for pacing males, labelled as Event B, will resume on Oct. 19.

To view Sunday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Flamboro Downs.

(Standardbred Canada)