Hoerdt takes 3,000th win

Harness racing horseman Kelly Hoerdt collected his 3,000th lifetime driving win amid a triple on the Friday (Nov. 8) card at Fraser Downs.

Needing two wins going into the card, Hoerdt struck quickly, guiding his Wash N Wax (Cattlewash) to a wire-to-wire victory in the opener. The gelding stopped the clock in 1:57.1 in his second win for Hoerdt since moving from the United States to Western Canada.

Hoerdt secured the milestone in race four, making it two-for-two on the card as he and Holiday Shadow (Shadow Play) led all the way in a 1:57.3 victory. The reinsman showed the camera three fingers in celebration as the gelding crossed the line a length-and-a-quarter the best.

HOLIDAY SHADOW REPLAY

Hoerdt capped off the big night as he captured the Preferred with West Coast Beach (Sunshine Beach) to complete the triple. The gelding went to the front early before being pocketed by Itll Be Fine (Dave Hudon), and he rode the two-hole into the final turn until shifting out to attack at the top of the stretch. West Coast Beach quickly cleared the pacesetter, and he rolled home to a two-and-a-quarter-length score in 1:54.2.

Rum N Raisins (Tyson Jacoby) finished second over Pureform Mr Toffeee (Blaine Chappell).

WEST COAST BEACH REPLAY

West Coast Beach has now won three straight races, including back-to-back Preferreds, for trainer Rebecca Kanak. She shares ownership of the seven-year-old with Timothy Gordon. The gelding has compiled 31 wins in 97 lifetime starts and $208,459 in earnings.

Hoerdt has won 3,001 races since his debut in 1986 and has driven his charges to $19.8 million in earnings in 18,249 starts. The horseman, one of the perennial leaders in the standings at Western Canadian harness tracks, has also racked up 2,552 training wins and $19.1 million in earnings.

Racing will continue at Fraser Downs on Thursday, Nov. 14.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink