Always Quick Star overcame an outside start from post eight and upset favoured Skeet Thunder Thursday afternoon in the second leg of the $4,000 Parkers Memorial Trotting Series at Colonial Downs.
Always Quick Star, who broke in the first leg a week ago after leading through three quarters, stayed flat while facing eight foes Thursday. The three year old Cantab Hall filly was sixth at the half, nearly ten lengths behind Pinefullofboots, before making here surge.
Driver Mark Gray, who also trains the winner, moved to fifth at the third fraction then trotted quickly past Mystic Flower, MLs Journey and the leader before squaring off with My Heidi in duel in deep stretch. After a photo, Gray’s trotter prevailed by a head in 1:57, a new lifetime best. Sleek Thunder finished eighth in a failed bid for back to back series wins.
There were no surprises in the $5,000 second leg of the Delmarva Handicap Pacing Series as first leg winner and heavy betting choice Bellator did not disappoint.
The four-year-old Rocknroll Hanover gelding wired the field in the 7/8ths of a mile affair. Driver Jason MacDougall directed Bellator to quarter fractions of :27, :56.1 and 1:24 before finishing 2-¼ lengths in front of Breakin Loose in 1:37.3. The winner is trained by Stacy McLenaghan for owner Jay Steers of Osteen, Florida.
Colonial Downs returns to action Saturday with a ten race program beginning at 1:00 p.m.
(Colonial Downs)