Three-year-old pacers were front and centre on Sunday afternoon at Fraser Downs as fillies sparred in round two of the Mary Murphy BC Breeders Stakes while the colts and geldings butted heads in the Robert Murphy Memorial BC Breeders Stakes
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Nobody Can, who was a 1:56.2 winner in last week’s opening leg of the Robert Murphy Memorial BC Breeders Stake, came back for a second helping of the winner’s circle for the duo of driver Jim Marino and trainer Ed Hensley.
The son of Kents On Nuke-Battalia Hanover threw down fractions of :27.2, :57 and 1:26.1 before scooting home in :28.4 en route to the 1:55 decision. Sent off as the 1-5 favourite, the gelding defeated Kootenay Mike and Hezadilly.
J J J Stables of Aldergrove, BC and Alan Anderson of Willows, CA bred and own the 10-time winner who has stashed away more than $135,000 in his career.
That same owners returned to victory lane in the other $12,500 split for the colts and geldings thanks to a decisive score by Dontmakemebeg.
The son of Kents On Nuke-Zenobia came first over for trainer/driver Ed Hensley before pulling away to win by 4-1/4 lengths over Spartan Law in a career-best clocking of 1:55.1. True Humility finished third.
It was the first win of the season and the fifth lifetime tally for the gelding who pushed his earnings over $67,000 in the process.
Margarets Spirit, who missed by a nose in last week’s opening leg of the Mary Murphy BC Breeders Stake, went gate-to-wire in Sunday’s $12,500 follow-up assignment for the team of driver Keith Clark and trainer Richard Lancaster.
The daughter of Camcracker-Angie Girl ripped through fractions of :27.3, :58 and 1:26.1 before using a :30-second final quarter to seal the deal by a pair of lengths in 1:56.1. Garden Gate Storm, who was last at the quarter pole, came on strong to finish second. Red Star Stella grabbed the show dough.
Wild Dunes Stables of Delta, Westridge Stable of Aldergrove and Leslie Godlien of Surrey, BC share ownership on the six-time winner. It was her fourth win of the 2010 campaign, and the lion’s share of the purse lifted her lifetime earnings over $43,000.
Mystic Maiden is now 18-for-19 in her career thanks to her 1:55.1 triumph in the second division. The daughter of Camystic-Artfromtheheart pushed her winning streak to 11-in-a-row in the process for trainer Justin Currie.
Dave Hudon rolled the heavily-favoured filly to immediate command from Post 7, and she supplied the field with fractions of :27.3, :57 and 1:25.3 before using a :29.3 final quarter to win by 1-3/4 lengths over Estrella Roja. Third prize went to Fast Lane Delila.
Barry MacFarlane of Powell River and Crimson Racing Stable of Langley, BC share ownership on the career winner of $78,750.
To view Sunday’s results, click here.