Cusdmagicdragon and Boiling Oar were crowned winners in the $75,000 sophomore stakes finals of the Penny Bath and Keith Linton while driver Serge Masse swept the final Open pacing events of the meet to reach the 3,000-win milestone on Friday night (April 13) at Fraser Downs.
Cusdmagicdragon pulled off a 36-1 shocker in the Penny Bath Memorial defeating her popular stablemate Blue Grotto in a 1-2 finish for the Kelly Hoerdt stable.
With Jim Marino catch-driving, Cusdmagicdragon trailed the nine-horse field early on and capitalized off of hot early fractions as she went from last to first in a 1:55.2 career-best mile over the sloppy track.
Hustling off the gate with the inside post advantage, Hurried Romance (Rod Therres) battled for the leading role with Scardy Cat (Paul Davies) and elimination winner No Mo Fo Joe (Serge Masse) through a contested :26.4 opening quarter. Despite a breif bobble, Hurried Romance kept her rivals parked out three-wide all the way to the half in :55.4 before Blue Grotto (Hoerdt), the other elimination winner, took her shot from midfield and took over command at the 1:25.3 third quarter mark. Meanwhile, Cusdmagicdragon circled up outside of her stablemate turning for home before drawing off by six and three-quarter lengths. Hurried Romance held on for third-place behind Blue Grotto.
A third-place finisher in the elimination round, Cusdmagicdragon returned $75.50 for a $2 win ticket.
Hoerdt co-owns the Custard The Dragon-Rockumentary filly, who is now two-for-four this year, with breeders Blair and Erna Corbeil of Beaumont, Alta. Last year's Alberta Super Final runner-up has earned three wins from 12 starts lifetime and earnings totalling $78,787.
There were no surprises in the Keith Linton Memorial as 3-5 favourite Boiling Oar continued his impressive run of stakes success winning in 1:55 flat. Marino campaigns this winner, but this time it was Paul Davies catch-driving.
Canadian Pharoh (Serge Masse) led the nine-horse field in a line through opening fractions of :28.3 and :58.3 before elimination winner Boiling Oar stormed the palace. Moving from fifth, Boiling Oar advanced within striking distance by the 1:26.4 third quarter mark. He then glided alongside Canadian Pharoh turning for home and pulled ahead as the wire approached to win by one and a quarter lengths. Workin Them Angels finished back in third after winning his elimination a week ago.
Boiling Oar remained perfect in stakes competition and is now five-for-six lifetime with earnings amounting to $83,333. J J J Stables owns the Shadow Play-Arm In Arm gelding.
Just prior to the co-featured stakes finals, Serge Masse celebrated a career milestone reaching 3,000 driving wins as he guided Tahiti Seelster ($3.10), conditioned by Nelson Craig, and the Rod Therres-trained Buddy Weiser ($3.30) to a pair of front-end victories in their respective $12,000 Open events. Masse's own trainee Lizard King ($6.40) provided another highlight for the Edmonton, Alta. horseman as the pacer closed out the 10-race program winning his fourth straight race.
Fraser Downs' harness racing meet will wrap up on Saturday afternoon, with first race post time set for 12:45 p.m.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Fraser Downs.