Most recently named the recipient as the O'Brien Award of Horsemanship, Kelly Hoerdt continued his hot start to the season at Fraser Downs with another multiple-win performance on Friday (March 19).
Hoerdt's first training win of the night came in the $12,000 Open Pace courtesy Kneedeep N Custard. Leaving from post four, Kneedeep N Custard was pointed to the front end by Hoerdt while parked through an opening panel of :27.3. Clearing early leader Paperback Thriller (Brandon Campbell) just before the three-eighths mark, Kneedeep N Custard fronted the field of four past the half in :56.2. Paperback Thriller popped back out of the pocket down the backstretch and pressed the pacesetter through a 1:25.2 third quarter but could not forge past the 4-5 favourite as Kneedeep N Custard came home in :28.2 to trip the timer more than two lengths better than stablemate Cusdmagicdragon (Allan Molloy) in 1:53.4. Paperback Thriller completed the top three.
A five-year-old altered son of Custard The Dragon - Art Amour, Kneedeep N Custard picked up his first win of the year and 21st lifetime to lift his lifetime earnings to $245,822 for Hoerdt and co-owners Blair Corbeil of Beaumont, Alta. and Fred Gilbert of Brandon, Man.
Hoerdt's training hat-trick started in race four, then completed in races six and eight. In the sixth, Hoerdt debuted recent sophomore acquisition Show Stop and that initial outing was very impressive. Competing against a group of maidens for $5,800, Hoerdt and Show Stop made every call a winning one en route to a 17-length 1:54 trouncing of his rivals. The blue-blooded son of Captaintreacherous - The Show Returns is owned by Hoerdt with Carole Dunbar of Richardson, Sask.
Munchie Chris went out on a high note for the Hoerdt barn in the eighth, claimed from the race after a lifetime best 1:56.1 performance against conditioned-claiming company.
After two cards of harness racing at Fraser Downs thus far, Hoerdt's stable has started the season on a torrid pace. Sending out 13 starters, Hoerdt's horses sport a 6-3-2 summary and his UTRS sparkles at 0.641.
To view the results from the Friday night card of harness racing at Fraser Downs, click the following link: Friday Results - Fraser Downs.