Favourites Win Wendell Smith Elims

Published: April 6, 2019 12:55 am EDT

Favourites Jewels Dragon and Spiderdman prevailed in a pair of $7,500 eliminations for the Wendell Smith Memorial featuring B.C. bred three-year-old male pacers on Friday night (April 5) at Fraser Downs.

Jewels Dragon maintained a perfect sophomore record, earning his third straight win in the first elimination.

With Kelly Hoerdt in the sulky, the 3-5 favourite followed in third through panels of :29 and :59.1 before making his move on the backstretch with Kootenay Mystery advancing from behind. He progressed outside through three-quarters in 1:28.1 and reeled in pacesetter Thankyaverymuch for the one-length victory in 1:57 flat over the 'good' track. Dragon Lord finished third ahead of Kootenay Mystery.

Justin Currie trains the winning Custard The Dragon gelding, who boasts five career victories from 11 starts, for owner Paul Sanders and Christine Cutting.

Driven by five-time Friday night winner Serge Masse, Spiderdman took a new lifetime mark of 1:56.3 with a dominant three-length victory in his elimination.

Spiderdman left out from post six and took command from the quick-leaving Mr Saturday Night at the :28.1 quarter. Outlaw Badlands launched a surprise attack in front of the grandstand but appeared to struggle in the turn and settled back into third. Spiderdman continued to lead the way past the half in :58.1 and three-quarters in 1:27 en route to his third career win over Mr Saturday Night, with Livin Large checking in third.

A son of Up The Credit, the colt with a two-for-five seasonal record is owned by breeder Dennis Swennen and trainer Rod Therres along with Blair Miller and Carol Ann Leeson.

The Smith Memorial is for non-winners of $30,000 lifetime as of December 31, 2018.

All horses and drivers appeared to walked away from an incident in the sixth race that occurred near the quarter pole when the leaving favourite See You At Five made a break on the turn, unseating driver Anthony Succarotte and causing interference to trailing horses. Juslukymisschrome also dumped her driver Travis Tracey after hooking up with another horse during the incident. Sunset Sunday and Scott Knight went on to win the race in 2:00.1.

Earlier in the night, Topnotch Stables' Blue Grotto and trainer/driver Kelly Hoerdt won the $12,000 Fillies & Mares Open Pace in a career-best 1:53.2 by three-quarters of a length over Custard Lite and the front-loving Tahiti Seelster. The four-year-old Art Major mare, who was the popular Lady Cloverdale champion in February, was a 7-1 winner this time out.

To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Fraser Downs.

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