Favourites Buddy Weiser and Tajmeallover exerted career-best performances to win Fraser Downs' $50,000 Jim Vinnell Memorial and matching Lady Elements stakes event on Sunday afternoon (November 27).
In the Vinnell, Buddy Weiser established a new lifetime mark of 1:53.2 as he tracked down rival Sterling Cooper for his first stakes win.
Buddy Weiser and driver Rod Therres got the first call leaving from post four before outside post eight starter Sterling Cooper (Brandon Campbell) forged ahead as they reached the quarter-pole in :26.1 over the 'good' track. Sterling Cooper then led by two lengths to the half-mile mark in :55 and three-quarters in 1:23.1 with Buddy Weiser tracking in the pocket and Get Thereovernight (Kelly Hoerdt) advancing first-over. Down the stretch, Buddy Weiser swept by Sterling Cooper in the passing lane for the victory, with Read The Proposal (Serge Masse) also closing inside from the three-hole to edge out the pacesetter in a photo for the runner-up role. Get Thereovernight finished fourth, just ahead of Premium Stock (Travis Bowman).
Buddy Weiser had put an end to Sterling Cooper's seven-race win streak in their Vinnell elimination two weeks ago and was a quick-closing fifth over a sloppy track in last week's Open match-up. Sent postward as the 5-2 favourite, he paid $7.50 to win.
Therres trains the four-year-old son of Western Ideal and Buddys Gal, who has earned five wins from 16 starts and over $75,000 in purses this year, for owner Veikko Pajunen of Vancouver, B.C.
Tajmeallover also turned in a 1:53.2 career-best performance to win the Lady Elements for driver J.F. Gagne and trainer Marjorie Dumont.
Part Time Lady (Paul Davies) fired off the gate before a parked out Lydi Lula Belle (Travis Bowman) cleared at the quarter in :27. Part Time Lady then retook the lead while Tajmeallover began to advance in front the grandstand and cleared by the clubhouse turn before opening up three lengths on top at the :56.1 half-mile mark. She kept her distance from her rivals on the way to three-quarters in 1:23.4 and took off down the lane to score the victory. Part Time Lady held on for second in a four-way photo finish behind the winner while Thats Extra (Kelly Hoerdt) rallied off the cover of Phone Terror (Serge Masse) to show. Lydi Lula Belle edged out Phone Terror for fourth.
Tajmeallover paid $5.20 to win as the 8-5 betting favourite. She missed by just half a length, finishing second to America Passion in their elimination, but boasted five straight prior wins in Open company at Century Downs.
The five-year-old daughter of Tajma Hall and Watch Over Me now boasts wins in half of her 24 starts this year with her annual income topping six-figures for her connections. Gagne shares ownership with Peter Van Seggelen of Foothills, Alta., Carl Warnaar of Kelowna, B.C., and Tapron Holdings Ltd. of De Winton, Alta.
Tajmeallover's younger Camluck sister Watch My Luck ($3.30) also made a trip to the winner's circle on Sunday after scoring a career-best 1:55.1 victory in the opener.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Fraser Downs.