Flak Jacket proved to be a rising star on Friday night at Grande Prairie when he lowered the track record for freshmen pacing colts and geldings in the second of four $17,836 Alberta Sires Stakes Alberts Rising Star divisions
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With trainer Ryan Grundy along for the ride, Flak Jacket settled in the pocket after a Post 1 start while K B Hercules (Brandon Campbell) left from the next position over and put up early panels of :29.3 and :59.3. At that point, Flak Jacket made his move and the son of Brandons Cowboy-Jackies Whacky landed the lead before the 1:29.1 three-quarter marker. Using a :28.1 final effort, Flak Jacket sprinted home for the one-length score in 1:57.2.
The favoured Dees Promise (Jeff Stone) followed the winner to finish second and Leadfoot Lefty (Brent Grundy) came on for third.
Flak Jacket has scored four wins and two seconds in six lifetime starts earning $11,847 for Grundy, who shares ownership with Fred Gilbert and Derek Gilbert of Brandon and Arthur Grundy of Ste Anne, MB. The $3,000 ASHA Yearling Sale purchase lowered the Campasser’s former track record of 1:57.3 set in early August.
In his stakes division, Campasser equaled his mark of 1:57.3 and kept his record untarnished with a wire-to-wire score for driver Brent Grundy and trainer Darryl Cutting. The son of Camystic-Dream Passer left from Post 5 and carved out fractions of :29.4, :59.4 and 1:30 before holding off the pocket-sitter Prom Mister (Warren Grant) with a :27.3 final quarter to win by a neck. Barona Ice (Bill Tainsh, Jr.) completed the triactor.
Campasser is now five-for-five with $24,740 banked for owners William and Dianne Neish of High River, Alta.
Clintons Escape also kept his record perfect with his third victory in as many outings for trainer/driver Brandon Campbell and owners Allan Neurauter of High River and George Young of Calgary, Alta. The homebred Clintons Cigar-Emotionaliscape colt turned back a challenge Hot Attack (Bill Tainsh, Jr.) at the half and then held off the pocket-sitter War Cry Ranger (Don Monkman, Jr.) by nose to win in 2:00.1. Hot Attack finished third.
Dreamway Cruiser also used front-end tactics to win his division for trainer/driver Keith Clark, who co-owns with James Downer of Fort St. John, B.C. and Robert Jones of Slave Lake, Alta. The son of Camystic-Armbro Carousel lowered his mark to 2:01.1 with the three-quarter length victory over Piano Tuner (Jeff Stone) and Hf Zeligs Glory (Harold Haining). Dreamway Cruiser is now two-for-six in his two-year-old year.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click here.