1,000 training wins for Marino

Harness racing trainer Jim Marino reached four digits in career wins on Thursday (Apr. 4) as Senorita Draco (Custard The Dragon) took the second race at Fraser Downs.

The filly motored to the front from post six under guidance from Scott Knight, led unopposed most of the way, and held off the closing Cheyenna Acero J (Kelly Hoerdt) by a head in 1:59.2. It was the first career victory in nine tries for Senorita Draco, whom Marino co-owns with J J J Stables and Paul Sanders.

SENORITA DRACO REPLAY

Marino, a trainer since 1996, received a commemorative placard in the winner’s circle. He has racked up more than $8.5 million in earnings through 6,365 starts in his 28 seasons of racing. The conditioner concluded the evening with 1,002 wins as Phone Nine One One (Custard The Dragon, Knight, 1:58) and Sylvester (Custard The Dragon, Knight, 2:02.2) also scored for him.

In High Cotton (Somebeachsomewhere) dominated her opponents in the night’s Fillies and Mares Preferred. The six-year-old mare cut strong fractions of :26.4, :57, and 1:25 and stormed away by seven-and-a-quarter lengths for the 1:53.1 victory. Hoerdt drives, trains, and co-owns the mare with Blair Corbeil and Erna Corbeil. It was In High Cotton’s second win of the season and improved her career totals to 21 wins and $213,317 in earnings from 92 starts.

IN HIGH COTTON REPLAY

An accident occurred in the fifth race in which the breaking Heavens Wind (Tyson Jacoby) backed into Sea Treasure (Carson Abbott), who in turn was rear-ended by Lou Valley (Travis Tracey). Abbott fell from the bike as a result of the collisions but managed to hold onto the reins. According to Standardbred Canada, both Abbott and the horse were unharmed.

Fraser Downs will be back in action on Friday, Apr. 5 at 7:00 p.m. PDT. The feature of the nine dashes will be the fifth-race Preferred.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink