A pair of Jodie Cullen trainees made it a stellar night for hunch players at Flamboro Downs on Thursday, April 2.
As astronaut Jeremy Hansen made space exploration history becoming the first Canadian to travel beyond low Earth orbit, a pair of trotters named Fire The Rocket and Houston Seelster had no problem cutting through the fog and orbiting around the Dundas, Ont. half-mile oval to win their respective Thursday night assignments for Canada's leading trainer.
Fire The Rocket ($11.10) fired off the gate from the outside post six in the second race, an $8,900 conditioned trot, and held off favourite Blue Rare to win by three-quarters of a length in 2:01.4. His stablemate Houston Seelster ($3.80) landed in the winner's circle after a smooth score in the evening's featured fourth race, an $11,000 conditioned optional claiming trot that he won in 1:58.3 by 3-1/2 lengths over the mare Greenleaf. Cullen's son Travis drove both winners.
Fire The Rocket, a gelded son of E L Rocket, earned his first win of the year in six starts for owner Donald MacRae of Vernon Bridge, P.E.I. Travis Cullen shares ownership of Houston Seelster, a Lookslikeachpndale-Hollywood Beauty gelding who picked up his second win in 11 seasonal starts, with Blair Kidd of Miniota, Man., and John Collings of Brudenell, P.E.I.
With the two victories, Jodie Cullen lifted her season-leading win total to 86. The race atop the national driver standings tightened as Travis Cullen moved within two wins of the top spot with his total now at 91 for the season. Austin Sorrie, Canada's 2025 leading driver for wins, had a driving double on the card as well to retake the lead from Brady Galliers, who had topped the leaderboard at the conclusion of March and was shutout in four drives Thursday holding steady at 92 wins.
To view Thursday's harness racing results, click the following link: Thursday Results - Flamboro Downs.
(Standardbred Canada)