Starry Knight turned back a challenge from odds-on favourite Mischievous Jesse en route to the first win of his seven-year-old campaign Wednesday night in the $13,000 Open Trot at Windsor Raceway
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Making his third start of the season, the Dream Vacation gelding took command of the nine-horse field from the rail with Jason Merriman at the reins and posted a :27-second opening quarter.
Marc St. Louis Jr. sent the popular Mischievous Jesse first up from third after that point and applied heavy pressure to the tempo-setter past fractions of :56.3 and 1:25.3.
However, Starry Knight fought back and began to edge away around the final turn. He drew clear in the stretch and hit the wire in 1:56.4 with one and a half lengths to spare. Winzel (Don Rankin Jr.) finished second off a pocket trip while 25-1 shot Abes Little Blackie (Brad Kramer) rallied three-wide to finish third over Mischievous Jesse.
Starry Knight paid $9.30 to win as the 7-2 fourth choice. Robert Miller trains the career winner of 28 races and over $170,000 in purses for Patricia Miller of Williamston, Michigan.
To view Wednesday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Wednesday Results - Windsor Raceway.