Parked past the quarter, odds-on favourite Da Magician cleared control and drew away from his competition to take the $50,000 Jim Vinnell Memorial final by six and a half lengths in 1:52.2 at Fraser Downs on Sunday, Dec. 2.
Owned, trained and driven by Serge Masse, the four-year-old Dragon Again gelding cleared command from Cool Cowboy past a :27.3 opening quarter and slowed the pace to the half, timed in :57. Da Magician raced uncontested from there on the lead as he accelerated to three-quarters in 1:24.1 before coasting to the wire clear of Cool Cowboy in second and Wrangler Cash, racing behind the pocket sitter, in third.
Winning his 11th race from 20 starts this season and his 24th from 48 overall, Da Magician has amassed $323,849 in earnings and returned $3.10 to win.
Rick White trainee Gotta Have Nukes tracked dueling leaders from the pocket and edged to a head victory in the $12,000 Open Pace co-feature.
Favourite Outlawstandndelivr secured the lead from post one while Gotta Have Nukes floated into second ahead of Baylor Out third. Past the quarter in :27, Outlawstandndelivr soon faced pressure from Baylor Out angling first over before a :57.4 half.
Baylor Out continued to pace up to the leader's wheel passing three-quarters in 1:26 while Outlawstandndelivr maintained a length advantage to the head of the stretch. Gotta Have Nukes slid through the open stretch to overtake the dueling leaders late and win narrowly over Baylor Out. Outlawstandndelivr settled for third.
A nine-year-old gelding by Kents On Nuke, Gotta Have Nukes won his fourth race from 21 starts this season and his 21st from 159 overall, earning $301,816. Glenn White drove the $10.20 winner for owners Rick White and June Kauffman.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Fraser Downs.