Fan favourites Prom Mister and Flak Jacket delivered on their pari-mutual promises Saturday in a pair of $25,000 Adios Pick divisions at Northlands Park, and both sophomore pacers lowered their lifetime marks in the process
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In the first division, Prom Mister left from Post 4 and sailed through stations of :28.3, :59.2 and 1:27.4 with trainer Warren Grant in tow. The gelded son of Freedoms Pass-Prom Miss was no match for his six rivals as he coasted under the wire in a life's-best 1:56.4 with nearly five lengths to spare. Rs Merlin (Brandon Campbell) finished second off a pocket trip and Quik Change Artist (Kelly Hoerdt) came in third.
Prom Mister paid $6.70 to win as the 2-1 favourite.
Owned by the Swingline Stable of Edmonton, Alta., Prom Mister won three of seven races last season banking nearly $62,000. His victory tonight marked his fourth lifetime win and bumped his earnings to over $75,000.
Flak Jacket capitalized off a two-hole trip in the following split for trainer-driver Jamie Gray. The ASHA Award winner followed Clintons Escape (Keith Clark) through fractions of :27.3, :57.2 and 1:26.1 before moving out and around the first over challenger Dreamway Confed (Gerry Hudon). With Clintons Escape pulling away by five lengths in the stretch, Flak Jacket kicked into high gear and unleashed a :28-second final frame to prevail by a nose in a career-best 1:54.2. All Canadian Mjjz (Rod Starkewski) rallied from the backfield to finished third over Dreamway Confed.
Flak Jacket returned $5.20 as the 8-5 popular choice in the eight-horse field.
After winning six races in 11 starts at two, including his Battle of Alberta Super Final over Prom Mister, and banking over $90,000, Flak Jacket pushed his lifetime earnings over the $100,000 mark with his first win of the season in three outings. The gelded son of Brandons Cowboy-Jackies Whacky is owned by the Jamieg And Neilm Stable of Morinville, Alta., Fred Gilbert and Richard Osterbeck of Brandon, and Donald Ransom of Boissevain, M.B.
To view Saturday's results, click here.