Hall of Fame horseman Keith Clark picked up where he left off last weekend at Northlands Park earning his second consecutive training triple at the Edmonton, Alberta oval. Meanwhile, over in Surrey, British Columbia at Fraser Downs another one of his stable stars won the $12,500 Open Pace
.
Clark, who sent out three winners during Northlands' last card on Sunday, won another three during Friday's 10-race program over the frozen track.
Two-year-old pacing colt The Big Cuban ($5.10) broke his maiden for Clark, winning the second race by eight and three-quarter lengths in two minutes flat while five-year-old pacing mare Pretty Promised ($4.70) romped to a seven and three-quarter length victory in the next race, matching her season's mark of 1:55.4. Three-year-old pacing colt Western Chrome ($8.20) also matched his season's mark of 1:58.1 with his narrow win in the ninth race.
Clark also made it to the winner's circle with the Glenn Lutz-trained Rango ($5.40). The 11-year-old pacer recorded his second consecutive win in 1:58.2 with Clark in the sulky. His seventh race winning margin was six and a quarter lengths.
At Fraser, Tim Brown guided Clintons Escape to a season's best 1:52.2 triumph in the Open for Clark. The four-year-old left from the inside post position and led the eight-horse field past fractions of :27.1, :55.3 and 1:23.4 en route to the one length win over Nobody Can and Primary Purpose.
Clark, the leading trainer at Northlands and Fraser so far this year, has sent out 161 winners from his barn in 2011 for over $1.08 million in purses. Lifetime, he has recorded 3,729 training triumphs while earning over $23.68 million.
The resident of De Winton, Alberta will look to continue his winning weekend at Northlands in Saturday's Western Canada Pacing Derby and Northlands Filly Pace eliminations. He will send out Western Olympian in the Derby elimination along with Dewinton Destroyer, Minettas Nightstar, Fortunate Design and Clintons Keepsake in the filly eliminations.
Surrey horseman Serge Masse also earned a training-driving triple on Friday during Fraser's 11-race card with Steel Town ($6.60), Phone Terror ($9.30), and Stylish Killean ($9.20).
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following links:
Friday Results - Northlands Park
Friday Results - Fraser Downs