Up-and-coming reinsman Travis Cullen started off Saturday's meet-closing card of harness racing at Northlands Park on a positive note winning five races, but later took the brunt of an accident in the 15th race finale.
Cullen was victorious with his own trainees Cinderella Smiles ($7.10), Overnight Success ($5.40), and Tajwon ($3.70). He also scored with Jennas Ideal ($32.90) for trainer Doug Shaw and Sealedwithapromise ($10) for conditioner Jamie Gray to put his 2013 win total at 23.
But the 20-year-old driver was later involved in an accident sending him crashing into the hubrail. Fortunately, reports from Northlands indicate everyone involved in the accident walked off the track under their own power and appeared to escape serious injuries.
Major Ziggy and James Jungquist were leading the field around the turn into the stretch for the first time when the 15th race incident occurred. Lynettes Legacy, driven by Tyler Redwood, broke stride from the pocket and caused a chain reaction of interference to the trailing horses. The parked out Outlaw Like A Lady and Paul Davies were able to make it around Lynettes Legacy, but favourite Fancy Camelot collided with the breaker in behind and Cullen was tossed from the sulky into the rail. Philip Giesbrecht, driving No Limit For Mjjz, was also unseated during the accident. Both horses ran loose before being corralled by outrider Roy Sturgeon. Rossridge Devine and Bill Tainsh Jr. went on to win the dash by a neck over Major Ziggy.
The final $9,500 Open of the winter meet went to Smooth Criminal ($11) and Tainsh Jr., who defeated the pacesetting Timberline Court and Northlands leading driver Gerry Hudon by three-quarters of a length in 1:55.3. The four-year-old Blue Burner gelding is trained by Doug Stout for owners Walter Moroz of Edmonton and Willie Wychopen of St Paul, Alta.
Both Tainsh Jr. and Hudon won three races each.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Northlands Park.