Trainer/driver Clint Warrington's Vertical Squirt scored his first win of the season with a career-best performance in Friday's featured $10,000 Preferred Pace at Fraser Downs.
Vertical Squirt raced in third behind fractions of :27.3, :56.4 and 1:23.4 before kicking home in :27.2 for the career-best 1:52 victory by 1-1/2 lengths. Itll Be Fine (Jeff Hunt), the 3-5 favourite, shot through the passing lane off a pocket trip to finish second with pacesetter Mach Steady (John Abbott) holding on for third over Sunshine Boy (Scott Knight).
A runner-up in the Preferred last week to Itll Be Fine, Vertical Squirt was sent postward as odds of 4-1 and paid $10.30 to win.
The six-year-old Vertical Horizon-Samantha Square gelding has hit the board in eight of his 26 starts this year while earning $21,606. The victory was his 13th lifetime as he approaches the $100,000 earnings mark.
Kelly Hoerdt had a training triple during Friday's 11-race card, sending out winners Light My Shadow ($14), Versatility ($3.50) and Chocolate Terror ($3.80).
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Fraser Downs.