Flak Jacket rallied wide and kicked home to collar reigning Open Pace champion Timberline Court for the win in Saturday's $8,500 feature at Alberta Downs
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The popular Timberline Court swept out and around Barona Ice after the :28-second opening quarter mark and cruised past middle splits of :56.3 and 1:24.4 before facing being confronted. Flak Jacket, who sat fourth in the eight-horse field, rallied three-wide around first over Gts Jake and unleashed a :28.4 final frame to come on for the half-length victory in 1:54.2. Gts Jake finished six lengths behind in third.
The five-year-old gelding is shared in ownership by trainer-driver Jamie Gray of Morinville, Alta. and Neil Malloch of Wetaskiwin, Alta., along with Fred Gilbert and Richard Osterbeck, both of Brandon, MB. He paid $13 to win for the first time in four seasonal starts as the 5-1 third choice. The victory marked the 11th time Flak Jacket has visited the winner's circle in his career and the lion's share of the purse pushed his bankroll to $187,124.
Also on the card, Alberta Super Final champion Cloud Nine ($12.10) scored her first sophomore win with Jim Marino working out a perfect pocket trip for trainer Harold Haining and owner Donald Richardson of Cochrane, Alta. Making her second start of the season, the As Promised-Sparks Full Deck miss earned a new speed badge of 1:56.2 in her conditioning event.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Alberta Downs.