The Dave Hudon stable has been flying high at Fraser Downs in recent weeks, and Friday night (Feb. 2) was no exception as Withflyingcolours ($4.20) recorded a fifth consecutive win.
The six-year-old Blue Burner gelding successfully jumped to the $10,000 claiming level with a pillar-to-post 1:56.2 score on January 19 after capturing three straight races against $7,500 company. Friday night’s ninth race at Fraser, also a $10,000 claiming event, saw Withflyingcolours stalk a strong early pace closely from the pole before moving out from third up the far side, putting away pacesetter Chalk Player in upper stretch, and drawing away to win by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:54.4.
For trainer-driver Hudon, it was the culmination of a driving hat trick and a training double on the card—he also steered his own Docs Ronhenry to a second consecutive win in a $6,000 claiming race before teaming up with Kelly Hoerdt trainee Get Thereovernight for a 7-1 upset in a $15,000 claimer.
So far in 2018, Hudon sports a .481 Universal Trainer Rating, putting him just two points behind John Chappell in the Fraser training standings. In terms of wins, Chappell holds a narrow 9-8 lead one month into the year. His 11 winning drives in 49 starts have landed him atop the Fraser driver standings for the new calendar year, two better than Chappell.
To view Friday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results – Fraser Downs.