Keith Linton Memorial champion Premium Stock added another stakes win to his resume on Sunday at Fraser Downs as he was three lengths the best in the $15,000 Wendell Smith Memorial Stake.
Local horseman Jim Marino trains, drives and co-owns the lightly raced three-year-old gelding with Cameron Gardner of Cloverdale, B.C.
Leaving from post six in the seven-horse field, favourite Premium Stock established the early lead during a :28.3 opening quarter, but gave way to second choice Astronomical Storm (Scott Knight), who advanced from third during the second panel. Premium Stock then played "follow the leader" through middle splits of :58.2 and 1:27.2 before surging by down the stretch for the 1:57.2 triumph. Astronomical Storm stayed for second while Four Diamonds (Travis Bowman) came on for third.
The Blissfull Hall gelding now has three wins and three seconds in six starts with $22,025 banked in purses. He took his 1:56 mark in the Linton on March 23.
Premium Stock paid $4.90 to win.
Also on Sunday's harness racing card, Big N Bad ($3.20) overcame an assigned post eight start to continue his dominance in the Open class for trainer/driver Bill Davis and the J J J Stables of Aldergrove, B.C.
The four-year-old Badlands Hanover gelding swept to command from mid-pack after the first quarter and won the $10,500 event by four and a quarter lengths over pacing mare Prairie Illusion (Scott Knight) and I Hear Voices (James Burke) in 1:52.3.
The win was his fourth in a row and seventh in 10 seasonal starts.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Fraser Downs.