Driver Samuel Fillion reached the 1,000-win milestone on Tuesday, Aug. 5 as he drove Angel Fly Away to victory in the second race at Georgian Downs.
Fillion initially dropped back with the filly but declined a seat in fourth, instead driving on into the first turn as D A Dream Girl (Anthony Haughan) pocketed Influencer (Damian MacLellan). Despite taking the turn wide, Angel Fly Away went to the front as she reached the quarter in :29.2 and enjoyed an unopposed reign through middle fractions of :59.1 and 1:27.3. She left pocket-sitter D A Dream Girl behind on the final turn, drifting into the two-path as she spun for home. Confidently handled by Fillion, she cruised home to score in 1:56.4 by three-quarters of a length over the closing Jayport Cash (Daryl Thiessen). D A Dream Girl was third.
Angel Fly Away’s win improved her lifetime record to three-for-13. Julie Walker trains the homebred sophomore daughter of Archangel-Pine Knolls for Len Gamble of Etobicoke, Ont.
Fillion, needing just one win to hit four digits, doubled on the eight-race card to reach a total of 1,001. The Montreal, Que. native began his career on Quebec’s fair circuit in 2016 and has since racked up nearly $6.6 million in earnings in 6,891 starts. He had his breakout season last year, winning more than 300 races and surpassing $2 million in earnings for the first time. He received the Future Star Award at the 2022 O'Brien Awards.
Fillion became the sole leader in the drivers’ standings at Georgian Downs on Tuesday, going one clear of Austin Sorrie, with whom he was previously tied. Fillion is on top with 25 wins, Sorrie is second with 24 and Thiessen sits third on 23 wins.
To view Tuesday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Tuesday Results - Georgian Downs.
(Standardbred Canada)