Coming on in the final strides, Stiletto Hall edged out pacesetter Just Plug It In to win the $75,000 Clash Of The Pacific for open pacers in a career-best equaling time of 1:52 Friday night over a sloppy track at Fraser Downs
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Just Plug It In (Ed Hensley) powered off the gate from the outside Post 8 and reached the opening quarter in :26.3 with Lilsharkshooter (Jim Marino) in behind and his co-favoured stablemate Lil Dude Starrbuck (Scott Knight) parked out and driving on. Taking a second quarter breather, Just Plug It In led the way to the half in :55.1 while Lil Dude Starrbuck found room to tuck in the two-hole.
Trainer/driver Serge Masse, who was hoping to follow the cover of Lil Dude Starrbuck, directed second leg winner and 5-1 third choice Stiletto Hall to the outside from fourth. The Blissful Hall-Say Youll Love Me gelding remained third on the outside as Just Plug It In led the way to three-quarters in 1:22.4, but then unleashed a :28.4 final frame to reach up for the victory in the final strides by a neck. Lil Dude Starrbuck rounded out the top three.
"I didn’t like it," said Masse of being first-over. "I was supposed to have the best trip behind the best horse.
"This is a very good mile and my horse raced really, really tough," he added.
The win was Stiletto Hall’s 15th in 26 outings this year and boosted his earnings to $123,260. The seven-year-old bay has recorded 31 victories lifetime and $296,651 in winnings for owners Don M JR Stables and Don Byrne Stables 2008 Inc. of Edmonton, Alta.
Earlier on the card, the winning 'Clash' connections also enjoyed a victory with Keystone Vanyla, who scored her fifth straight win of the meet in as many outings with trainer Don Monkman, Jr. in the bike. In Race 8, the three-year-old daughter of Western Hanover-Venus Killean popped the pocket en route to the third quarter mark and paced away to a one and quarter length victory in 1:58.
Tahuya Speed (Ed Hensley) finished second with Der Bingle (Barry Treen) third. Despite making a break at three-quarters from fourth and falling, Daddydidntwantme appeared to escape serious injury as did driver Andrew Arsenault.
Keystone Vanyla's sixth lifetime win lifted her earnings to over $20,000.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click here.