Ideal Jet takes 50th victory

Veteran overnighter Ideal Jet (Jeremes Jet) reached the 50-win milestone on Wednesday (Mar. 15) at The Raceway at the Western Fair District in his 302nd harness racing start.

The gelding took off early for Nick Boyd, landing on the front with :27.4 first-panel speed. He was unpressured to the half in :57.4, began to kick away to three-quarters in 1:26.2, and coasted to the win in 1:56.1.

IDEAL JET REPLAY

Ideal Jet has raced exclusively for trainer Craig Barss, who co-owns him with Nurko Sokolovic. The pair teamed up to breed the gelding. The 12-year-old has earned $657,281 for the pair since he debuted on Jul. 15, 2013.

Beach Moment (Control The Moment, Travis Henry) captured the evening’s featured Fillies and Mares Preferred in similar style. She held off a hustling Saulsbrook Jessie (Brett MacDonald) after evading pressure for much of the mile to win by three-quarters-of-a-length in 1:56.3. Escape The House (Austin Sorrie) was third.

BEACH MOMENT REPLAY

It was the first win of the year for the mare, who started her season five days ago. The five-year-old, co-owned by Hutt Racing Stable and her trainer, Blake Macintosh, is now 15-for-71 lifetime with $167,750 in earnings.

Driver Daryl Thiessen, who fought through injuries last year, steered his first winner of 2023 with William Ross (Sunshine Beach) in the opener. The gelding trekked first-over and wore down pacesetter Bearcatwilly (Michael Horner) to take the victory in 1:59.1. Thiessen had made 25 prior starts this year.

DARYL THIESSEN / WILLIAM ROSS REPLAY

The Raceway at the Western Fair District hosts racing next on Friday, Mar. 17.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink