Sunshine Boy rises again

Sunshine Boy (Sunshine Boy) remained perfect on the year as he won his third straight harness racing contest in the Fraser Downs Preferred-Handicap on Friday (Feb. 23).

Scott Knight got the gelding to the lead as they passed the quarter in :27.1 and rated him to :56.1 and 1:23.4 middle fractions. Sunshine Boy led the field into the stretch and came to blows with pocket-sitter Itll Be Fine down the lane. Itll Be Fine chipped away up the inside but came up a neck short as Sunshine Boy completed the victory in 1:51.4. Itll Be Fine was second. Bad Moon Horizon (Tyson Jacoby) finished third.

SUNSHINE BOY REPLAY

Sunshine Boy has now won 26 of 71 career starts and has earned $261,628. Jim Marino trains the gelding, who is perfect through three in 2024 and has won nine of his past 10 starts, all at the Preferred level. Marino co-owns the six-year-old with J J J Stables of Prince George and Paul Sanders of Surrey.

Kelly Hoerdt took three training wins on the night and drove all of them. He scored with Bay Street Buddy (Betterthancheddar, 1:54.2), Light My Shadow (Shadow Play, 1:55.2), and Armycaptin Hanover (Captaintreacherous, 1:52.3). The top dash-winning trainer of 2023 at Fraser Downs added a fourth driving win on the nine-race card as he steered Minnehkada Joe (Vertical Horizon, 1:55.3) to victory.

Fraser Downs continues racing on Thursday, Feb. 29.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink