Fex Education wired a field of top pacers at Northside Downs on Saturday afternoon, holding the first over challenger, Woodmere Westerner, at bay to win the $1,000 Winners Over Pace by a neck
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Leaving from post position two in the field, which was reduced to just four horses with Sir Dutch scratched sick, Fex Education and driver Ryan Campbell took the lead and never relinquished it as they carved out fractions of :29, 1:02.1 and 1:32.2.
As the field neared the three-quarters mark, favourite Woodmere Westerner and Greg Sparling made their move, advancing first up from third. However, Fex Education found the wire just in time to score the 2:00.2 triumph, his fifth of the year. Accelerated Putnam and Shawn Lynk finished one and half lengths behind in second while pocket-sitter Chapter and John Gerard Kennedy rounded out the field.
Fex Education paid $5.70 to win as the second choice. The four-year-old son of Sir Luck-Mystical Bliss has now recorded 15 top three finishes in 19 starts this season for owner-trainer Peter MacKinnon of River Ryan, N.S.
Trainer-driver Kevin Bailey won three of the 14 races on the Saturday program. The resident of Sydney, N.S. bookended the card with the maiden-breaking two-year-old filly P H Ivy ($7.30) and eight-year-old pacer Yankee First Hanna ($7.10) in the first and last, and scored a huge upset in the 10th race with five-year-old pacer Outstandingbalance ($46.10).
For results from Saturday's harness racing card, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Northside Downs.