Chewy Baca was out of the money as the Open pacers blazed through a hot first quarter in Fraser Downs' $10,500 top class on Sunday afternoon (Jan. 3), but he tracked the cover of favourite Son Of Anarchy and then blew by him in the stretch for the mild upset.
Chewy Baca was nine and half lengths off the lead in last place early on while a battle commenced between inside starters Comes Home First and Keystone Royce and outsider Sterling Cooper, who eventually cleared to command past the :26.2 quarter pole. Sterling Cooper then took a second quarter breather and reached the half in :56.1 while 3-2 favourite Son Of Anarchy launched first over and made it up alongside the leader by three-quarters 1:24.4. Son Of Anarchy overtook Sterling Cooper with Chewy Baca advancing to his outside and then powering home in :28.2 to prevail by two and a half lengths in 1:53.2. Comes Home First finished third.
Chewy Baca was sent behind the gate with the second-longest odds in the six-horse field at 8-1 and he returned $19.10 to his $2 backers. He was driven by Travis Bowman.
The Relentless Yankee-Die Searching gelding is trained by Sean Lancaster and owned by Dr. James Findlay of Maple Ridge, B.C. He is coming off a 13-win 2015 season in which he earned $63,725 in 25 starts. Sunday's Open victory was his third at the Fraser Downs oval.
Lifetime, the seven-year-old pacer has won 28 races and nearly $190,000.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Fraser Downs.