Its Eds Idea and Light The Shadow finally had the chance to shine, winning a pair of four-year-old stakes finals for trainer/driver Serge Masse and owner Lucy Raymond on Friday night (February 17) at Fraser Downs following recent cancellations at the Surrey oval.
Trained and driven by Masse, Its Eds Idea pulled off a 12-1 upset winning the $30,000 Open Stakes final for male pacers in a career-best 1:54.3 performance.
The 9-5 favourite, Blue Star Jet (Mike Hennessy), sprinted an eye-catching :25.4 first quarter over the 'good' track -- leaving track announcer Dan Jukich second-guessing the teletimer -- to take control of the field ahead of early leavers Wrangler Cash (Travis Bowman) and Credit Risk (Jim Marino).
After getting away mid-pack from the trailing post nine, Masse sent Its Eds Idea first-up on the way to the :55.3 half and worked to clear Blue Star Jet past the 1:24 third quarter mark before opening up a couple of lengths in the final turn to seal the deal.
Wrangler Cash closed within a length of the winner down the stretch, but he was placed ninth following a judges' inquiry. In the final turn, he hit the wheel of another horse that went off stride as a result and caused interference to trailing horses. Credit Risk and Prairie Mystic (Brad Watt) inherited second and third, respectively.
A career winner of nine races and $67,671 in purses, Its Eds Idea has earned two wins and two thirds from four outings this year. The Western Ideal-Keystone Edna gelding paid $26.30 to win.
Light The Shadow equalled her lifetime mark of 1:59.1 in winning the following $30,000 stakes final for B.C.-bred pacing mares.
Leaving from the outside post seven, Light The Shadow worked to clear Wendy Jay (Dave Hudon) through a :27.4 opening quarter and proceeded to the half in :58.4. At that point, Artsdestiny (Chris Linford) launched her attack from the backfield and progressed to second by the 1:28.4 third quarter mark. However, Light The Shadow held off the late advances of Artsdestiny to win by a neck, with Wendy Jay closing in passing lane for third.
Sent postward as the odds-on favourite, Light The Shadow paid $5.60 to win. The Shadow Play-Winona Hanover mare has won three of her five starts in 2017, and has seven wins total on her lifetime record with earnings climbing to $43,254.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Fraser Downs.