If harness racing presented three star selections at the end each program, Dale Spence would have been star number one on the opening day of the Fredericton Exhibition.
Spence, a 19-year old sensation from Saint John, rattled off a pair of wins early in the card. Those victories allowed him to capture the title in the Young Guns Drivers Challenge, a series of races split between Exhibition Park in Saint John and Fredericton Raceway. Spence's victories spring boarded him past defending champion Katie Miller from PEI in the standings, with Jack Panting finishing in third.
Spence's wins in the Challenge came behind Alyssa Down in 2:02.1 and McKenzie Kate in a new speed badge of 2:00. For an encore, Spence came back midway through the program helping Camco Paul achieve a new record of 2:00.2 in the Bulletproof Solutions Pace.
Spence smashed a grand slam with his fourth winner on the 16-dash card, launching another horse into the winners' circle in the afternoon's featured event. Skippy captured the Servicemaster Pace by surviving a good portion of the race on the outside, overtaking favourite Kaylas Sophia in the final strides . The six-year-old Camluck gelding stopped the clock in a new mark of 1:57. It was the sixth win of the season for Skippy, a horse bred by multiple O'Brien award-winning horseman, Bob McIntosh. The victory positions Skippy among the top contenders for Saturday's Albert Goodine Memorial Junior Invitational.
Driver Mike Stevenson and trainer Wade Sorrie combined for a pair of victories in the $6,600 Williamson Memorial for two-year-old pacers. Accelerated Pace was in control from the word ‘go’ and breezed a final half in :58.4, capturing the first colt division in 2:01.4. The Force of Life colt scored by three lengths over Mr Monday and Walter Cheverie.
Stevenson also captured a filly division with Scootin For Joy in a new career best performance of 2:00.1. The Western Paradise filly earned a three and a half length triumph over Carol Alice and Howmacs Angel.
Other Williamson winners were Scamp Finesse and Clare MacDonald, inheriting a victory following the disqualification of favoured Untouchable One, and Windemere Maggie for Walter Cheverie in 2:01.1.
Other winners were Spotthebullseye (Todd Trites) in 2:06.4, Sittler (Gilles Barrieau) in 1:59, Slim N Sleek (Mike Downey) in 2:00.1, Nucoz Typhoon (Sam Hodgin) in 1:59.3, Forever Finesse (Mike Downey) in 1:59.3, Eastcoast Down (Steve Mason) in 2:00.4, Ideal Ticket (Gilles Barrieau) in 1:58 and Ace On The River (Phillip Hodgson) in 1:59.4.
The Bill Quigg Memorial Stakes for three-year-old pacers will be featured on Thursday's card. Post time is 4 p.m.
(HRNB)
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Fredericton Raceway.