Keith Clark's American Venture put a stop to Big N Bad's Open win streak on Sunday afternoon at Fraser Downs with a 1:51.4 career-best effort in the $10,500 feature.
Riding a four-race win streak, Big N Bag was assigned outside his four rivals in the first race on Sunday, but easily swept from last to first after the :27.1 quarter for trainer/driver Bill Davis. The heavy favourite proceeded to lead the field past the half in :56 and three-quarters in 1:23.4. However, driver Don Monkman Jr. made his move with American Venture around the final turn from third and the American Ideal gelding sprinted home in :27.2 to prevail by two lengths.
The time of the mile matched Big N Bad's Canadian season's record for a five-eighth-mile track and came within two-fifths of a second of the gelding track record.
Sent postward as the 8-1 second choice, American Venture paid $18.40 to win. Big N Bad settled for second-place honours this time out while the pocket-sitting Gotta Have Nukes and Rick White finished third. The winner's stablemate, Playbook, was fourth with Clark aboard. Big N Bad's barn buddy, I Hear Voices, and James Burke completed the field.
Clark shares ownership of the winning four-year-old pacer with Robert Jones of Slave Lake, Alta. and Peter Giannakopoulos of Edmonton. Last year's Western Canada Pacing Derby runner-up now boasts a seasonal record reading 2-4-3 in 11 starts and has added $23,448 to his bankroll, bringing it to nearly $80,000.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Fraser Downs.