Run Way Star rallied from second-over to pull off a 10-1 upset in the $16,400 Arbutus Stake for three-year-old Canadian owned or sired pacing fillies
, sponsored by Standardbred Canada and British Columbia Standardbred Association, Saturday at Fraser Downs.
The daughter of Camcracker-All Spruced Up and driver Gerry Hudon watched from fifth as Legal Suspensory (Darren Howald) and Oral Fixation (Ed Hensley) battled on top through the opening panels of :27.2 and :56. Legal Suspensory eventually turned back her first challenger past three-quarters in 1:25.1, but could not shake off Angelic Star (Serge Masse), who captured the lead in the stretch. Run Way Star, however, had her game face on and sprinted off cover to claim the victory in a career-best clocking of 1:56.3.
Id Rather Be Lucky (Clinton Warrington, Jr.) was three-quarters of a length back in second and With Bells On (Grant Hollingsworth) claimed third prize.
Unraced at two, Run Way Star improved her record to 4-2-2 in 11 starts and bumped her earnings to $28,348 for trainer James Mohorich and owner Bill Boden of Vancouver, B.C.
In this week’s $12,000 Fillies & Mares Open Pace, driver James Burke sent Red Star Hottie to the front of the field from Post 5 and the four-year-old As Promised-Whitehorse Fever mare carved out fractions of :27.2, :57.1 and 1:25.3 en route to a 1:54 career best victory by a length and a quarter.
Second Fancy (Serge Masse) was the runner-up over the pocket-sitting Judges Acenthehole (Jim Marino).
Red Star Hottie earned her second win of the season in seven outings and 11th win of her career giving her $150,150 in winnings. Robert Merschback trains the bay for Robert Murphy of Surrey, B.C.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click here.