Favourites Upended In Fraser Opens

A set of Open events highlighted Monday’s 14-race card at Fraser Downs, and in both instances the favourites were denied.

Western Summit went to the front and didn’t look back in the $7,000 Fillies & Mares Open for the tandem of driver David Kelly and trainer Jim Marino.

Kelly hustled the six-year-old daughter of Vertical Horizon-Kismet Killean to the lead from Post 5 and together they rolled through fractions of :27.2, :57.3 and 1:26.1 before using a :28.2 closing quarter to win by a head over longshot Mystic Shadow in 1:54.3.  Even-money favourite Moosette rallied from far back to finish third.

Sent off at odds of 3-1, Western Summit made it back-to-back wins in the top class.  The 13-time winner has registered seven of those victories this season for owner Marino.  The career winner of close to $95,000 has racked up more than $37,000 in earnings this season.

Armycaptin Hanover turned a two-hole trip into a narrow score in the $7,000 Open for horse and gelding pacers.

Trainer/driver Kelly Hoerdt tucked his charge into the two-hole while the 4-5 favourite, Kootenay Santanna, rolled the field through fractions of :26.2, :56.1 and 1:24.  The sprint was on in the final quarter and Armycaptin Hanover’s :28.2 kicker earned him the half-length triumph over Kootenay Santanna in 1:52.3.  Ima Dude was a well-beaten third.

Hoerdt shares ownership on the six-year-old son of Captaintreacherous-Allamerican Coed with Blair Corbeil of Beaumont, Alta.  The partners watched the gelding improve his 2022 record to 3-4-5 from 13 assignments with the win.  The victory was the 24th of his career and it helped lift his lifetime earnings to $164,851.

Both Hoerdt and Marino celebrated three-win performances on the marathon card.  Marino’s other two winners were Hapuna Beach (1:54) and Tito Santanna (1:54) while Hoerdt also clicked with Watch Me Boogie (1:56.2) and Tin Foil Hat (1:54.3).

To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Fraser Downs.