Harness racing returned to Fraser Downs on Thursday evening, and fans were treated to a stakes-filled card.
Yoga Pants captured the first of three Betty Millbank Memorial Breeders Stake divisions for two-year-old pacing fillies. The daughter of Sportswriter-Lucks Pleasure led through fractions of :28.4, 1:00.1 and 1:28.4 before using a :29.3 closing quarter to seal the deal in 1:58.2. It was 15 lengths back to runner-up Western Vixen and third-place finisher Shesamyster.
The win was the first of five on the program for driver Jim Marino who co-owns the rookie with J J J Stables of Prince George, BC. The Marino pupil was sent off as the 1-5 favourite in her debut performance.
In her $15,000 division, Badlands Palace did most of the road work en route to posting a narrow win over Lil Beach in 1:59.1. Keys Please cut the quarter in :29.2 before being overtaken by Badlands Palace. Trainer Paul Davies brushed her to the lead in the second quarter, and she went on to carve out middle panels of :59.4 and 1:30.2. A :28.4 kicker was enough to earn her the half-length triumph over Lil Beach. Keys Please wound up third.
Donald Richardson of Cochrane, AB owns the daughter of Badlands Hanover-Crystal Palace who improved this year’s record to 2-3-1 from eight trips to the track. She’s stashed away close to $20,000 to date.
Soft And Dry turned a two-hole trip into a narrow triumph in the third division. Sent off a 14-1 outside, the daughter of Camtastic-Steamy Place watched Stylomilohos carve out panels of :28.4, 1:00.2 and 1:30.1. Soft And Dry fired home in :29.2, and that was good enough to earn her the neck decision over Stylomilohos in 2:00. Orangeville Gazette rounded out the top three finishers.
Richard Remillard guided the Gord Abbott pupil to her third win in six starts. She’s stashed away more than $10,000 to date for Remillard and partners Valerie Emerson, Brenda Erick and Jim Wilson.
Next up were three-year-old pacing colts and geldings in a set of $15.000 divisions for the Robert Murphy Breeders Stake. Fire Of The Dragon went to the top and kept on trucking en route to a 1:57.1 score. She led the group through fractions of :27.1, :59.1 and 1:28.3 before sprinting home in :28.3 to defeat Tita Santanna by a half-length margin over Tita Santanna. Bettors Mark tagged along to grab the show dough.
Travis Bowman mapped out the winning trip for the Richard Lancaster pupil. Lancaster shares ownership on the son of Dragon Again-Fie For Fire with Ray Soh of Delta, BC. It was the second win of the season for the career winner of more than $30,000.
Bobby Dazzler got up in the final strides to capture the second division in 1:55.4 for trainer/driver Clint Warrington, Jr. Away fifth, Bobby Dazzler held that position through the first three-quarters of the contest before commencing his rally. The son of Village Jiffy-Deo Reo Millee kicked home in :28.2 to win by a head over Credit Risk by a head in 1:55.4. Imrunninonsunshine rounded out the top three finishers.
The pacer has racked up three wins this year and five to date for owners David and Freda Woolley of Langley, BC.
Jabas Luck was a winner in going away fashion in the $10,500 Fillies & Mares Open. Trained and driven by Jim Marino, the nine-year-old daughter of Camluck- Athenas Art clicked in her first start for the new connections since being claimed in late August. The sat just off the speed for most of the mile, and when she was chased along she drew clear to win by two lengths in 1:54.4. Ashlynn Grace was next best, while Phone Terror took home third prize.
Paul Sanders and Jim Marino own the daughter of Camluck-Athenas Art who won for the 10th time this season and for the 25th time in her career. She’s quickly closing in on $150,000 in lifetime earnings.
To view results for Thursday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Thursday Results – Fraser Downs.