Trainer/driver Scott Knight and owner Lil Dude Ranch swept the first leg of the Clash Of The Pacific for open pacers Friday night at Fraser Downs with 22-1 longshot Lilsharkshooter and 3-5 favourite Lil Dude Starrbuck
.
In the first of two $10,000 divisions, Storyeum (Gord Abbott) fired off the gate from the rail but favourite Kiawah (Gerry Hudon) battled for the top spot from the next position over and landed the lead at the :27.1 opening quarter. After a :30-second breather, the 3-2 bettor’s choice picked up the pace as Neal Diamonique (Keith Clark) applied pressure to the three-quarter pole in 1:24.3 and pulled ahead down the lane to battle with Lilsharkshooter and Knight, who rallied from second-over. As the pair reached the wire together, it was longshot Lilsharkshooter who had the slight advantage. The son of Cams Card Shark-Living Art edged out Neal Diamonique by a half-length for the 1:53 victory while Ridgeline (Ed Hensley) sprinted home from fifth to grab the show spot.
For Lilsharkshooter, the win was his second of the season in 16 starts lifting his earnings to $32,978. With 13 victories on his card, the five-year-old bay has grossed $232,717 in winnings over the course of his career.
Fresh off a track record performance last weekend, Lil Dude Starrbuck was untouchable in the second Clash Of The Pacific division for Knight and the Lil Dude Ranch. The son of Threefold-Almahurst Irish left from Post 2 and led the single file field through reasonable fractions of :28.2 and :56.3 before powering past three-quarters in 1:22.4 and rolling to the wire in 1:51.1.
Grand Bend Turbo (David Hudon) rode the pocket to finish two and a quarter lengths behind in second while Stiletto Hall (Serge Masse) came first-up past three-quarters en route to a third-place finish.
The win was Lil Dude Starrbuck’s third straight since the start of the meet and fourth in 18 starts this year pushing his earnings to $44,130. With 31 wins under his belt, the eight-year-old bay has earned $495,884.
The second leg of the Clash Of The Pacific featuring $10,000 divisions is scheduled for next Friday, October 9 and the $75,000 final will take place on Friday, October 16.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click here.