Midnight Diva turned in her best effort yet for teamster Gord Abbott and trainer Keith Clark on Saturday night in the $12,000 Fillies & Mares Open Pace at Fraser Downs
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The five-year-old daughter of Dragon Again-Melbourne Breeze got away fifth from Post 2 while Lucks Pleasure (David McKellar) set up shop on the front end and posted a :27.2 opening quarter. As the field raced to the half in :56, Midnight Diva followed Modern Legacy's (Keith Clark) lead and stepped to the outside. She then rolled three-wide around her stablemate, who stalled on the outside, and pressed the leader at three-quarters in 1:24.2. The five-year-old mare pushed ahead of Lucks Pleasure down the lane and held off a late charge from 86-1 Adorable Killean (David Hudon) for the 1:54.2 triumph by half a length. Lucks Pleasure was third.
Midnight Diva notched her fourth win in 13 seasonal starts and bumped her earnings to over $40,000 for the Meadowlark Farms of Calgary, Alta. Her ninth win overall lifted her bankroll to $119,393.
In other action, Fraser’s 12th and final race was declared a No Contest after Canaco Nolton (Scott Knight) choked and fell from second-over after the first quarter in the stretch. No other horses were involved in the incident, but the horses were scattered and forced wide as they made their way back around the track to the finish line. Canaco Nolton was able to walk off the track under his own power and Knight appeared to escape injuries.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click here.