The lightly raced sophomore pacer Premium Stock took advantage of the passing lane to win his first stake event off a pocket trip on Sunday afternoon at Fraser Downs in the $15,000 Keith Linton Memorial.
Starting from post two, the Jim Marino-trained and driven Premium Stock followed inside starter Great Quote and Serge Masse for most of the mile through fractions of :27, :57.4 and 1:25.3. Favourite Need You So Bad and Fraser's leading trainer/driver Bill Davis stalked the leader first over, but could only make it within a length of Great Quote turning for home. Great Quote opened up a pair of lengths at the top of the stretch, but Premium Stock wore him down in a tight finish for the 1:56 victory. Hosisahos and Travis Bowman prevailed in a photo for third over Need You So Bad one and three-quarter lengths behind.
Premium Stock paid $14.70 to win as the 6-1 third choice in the field scratched down to six.
The Blissfull Hall-Follow Your Rosa gelding now boasts two wins and two seconds on his four-race record with earnings totalling $13,100. He is owned by Marino and Cameron Gardner of Cloverdale, B.C.
Despite settling for a fourth-place finish in the Sunday stakes event, Davis managed four wins on the 11-race card, including three with his own trainees.
Davis and leading Fraser Downs owner J J J Stable teamed up for victories with Open pacer Big N Bad ($2.80), a five-length winner in 1:52 flat, and the class-dropping I Hear Voices ($6.30).
Davis also won with his trainee Western Baron ($4.10), who took a new mark of 1:54.4 and is now undefeated in eight starts during his nine-year-old campaign. Western Baron has helped propel owner Mate Hecimovic into second for wins on the local leaderboard.
Davis also drove five-year-old gelding Blurricane ($6.80) to a career-best 1:56.2 score for Paul and Simone Urquhart.
To view Sunday's harness tracing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Fraser Downs.