Sophomore pacer Gotta Have Nukes, last year's B.C. Breeders Stake champion, returned to victory lane with a 1:55.1 career-best effort in the $15,000 Keith Linton Memorial Stake on Good Friday afternoon at Fraser Downs
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Inside starter Gotta Have Nukes and trainer-driver Rick White settled for a pocket ride while 4-5 favourite Kismyjet and Serge Masse fired to command from post five.
Kismyjet, winner of the Clarence 'Sugar' Gagnon Memorial Stake in mid-March, led the eight-horse field through fractions of :27, :57.2, and 1:25.4. Meanwhile, Red Star Cameron and Andrew Arsenault advanced first up from fourth down the backstretch, but couldn't get by the leader and began to fade.
Gotta Have Nukes pulled the pocket around the final bend and wore down the pacesetter with a :29-second final frame for the one length victory. Kismyjet settled for second while the winner's stablemate, B.C. Breeders runner-up Thieving Magpie and Keith Clark, came on for third two and three-quarter lengths behind.
Gotta Have Nukes paid $5.80 to win as part of the 9-5 second choice entry.
White co-owns the homebred Kents On Nuke-Samantha Square gelding with June Kauffman of Woodinville, Washington. After going four-for-five while sweeping the B.C. Breeders Stake at two and earning over $30,000, Gotta Have Nukes earned his first sophomore win in three starts.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Fraser Downs.