Allan Fraser reached another milestone in his harness racing career at Inverness Raceway on Sunday – picking up his first two career driving wins – back-to-back. This is his second win, in race two, on a charge up the middle with 13-year-old gelding Old Buck in 2:04.
-by Bill Dunphy
“I kind of surprised everybody, even myself!”
That was Al Fraser’s reaction to winning back-to-back races on Sunday for his first career driving wins at Inverness Raceway.
Driving two horses that he trains and shares ownership with Lisa Hanscombe, Fraser opened the seven-dash card with a win with three-year-old filly Luna Bets, first-up from third approaching the half and scored in 2:05.4, with Miss Chili Pepper (Keigan Madden) tracking in second and the popular pacesetter, JW Flatout (Redmond Doucet), settling for third.
Fraser won his very next drive with 13-year-old pacer Old Buck, prevailing in a backstretch battle between the co-favourites, Elm Grove Support (Rodney Gillis) and Rankinville Shamus (Sandy MacNeil).
Old Buck had given the 55-year-old Inverness horseman his first training tally back on Aug. 5, with Monica Sutherland driving for that milestone moment, and the pacer completed his first driving double on Sunday winning in 2:04 by a quarter-length.
“It was pretty surreal actually,” Fraser said. “You think you’re going to win in the 13 drives before that. But they race exceptionally well on Sunday. The filly was getting consistently better, taking a little off her time every time out. And I thought Old Buck was going to quit on me at the seven-eights but he came on again in the stretch.”
And like everyone who has ever won their first race, a bucket of cold water was waiting for Fraser when he got back to the barn, courtesy of Erland Campbell.
Meanwhile, trainer D.F. Beaton’s Shir Gain pulled off the upset as the longest shot on the board in this week’s winners-over pace, getting to the front late and holding off 1-9 young gun Captain Tate.
Shir Gain and driver Rodney Gillis bided their time in the pocket behind the usual pacesetter McLand (Danny Gillis).
After following the leader through panels of :30.1, 1:00.1 and 1:29, Shir Gain slipped out in front of the stalled Sea Laird (Zach Mullins) first-up and took a late lead en route to the 14-1 upset in 1:59.1.
The favoured sophomore colt, Captain Tate (Walter Walker), a dead-heat top-class winner last week with Sea Laird, found clearance from the backfield too late towards the pylons and finished a length behind Shir Gain in this week’s $2,285 feature, edging out Philthy Phil (Redmond Doucet) and McLand in a photo for place.
Overlooked at the betting windows after a first-over journey landed him just a quarter-length behind last week’s top pair, Shir Gain rewarded his backers with a $31.70 payout for every $2 win ticket.
Shir Gain, an eight-year-old gelding by Blue Burner out of Shirley Hall, has won six of his 23 races this year and now boasts 25 career victories with $92,296 in earnings. The 100th anniversary season of live harness racing at Inverness Raceway will wrap up next Sunday, Oct. 25.