The B.C. Breeders Stakes resumed on Friday night at Fraser Downs with a pair of $15,000 opening round divisions of the Betty Millbanks Memorial for two-year-old fillies and two matching splits of the Robert Murphy Memorial for three-year-olds colts.
Trainer/driver Rod Therres continued his winning momentum following a successful Thursday night that included a track record amid a stakes double.
After winning at first asking last Friday, Probert ($2.70) made front at the quarter-pole and cruised to a 6-3/4 length victory in 1:57.3 in the initial round of preliminaries for the Betty Millbanks Memorial. Therres owns, trains and drives the Dali-Outlawcherishafool filly. Bootscootn Annie (Kelly Hoerdt) overtook Rockinwithcustard (Bill Tainsh Jr.) for the runner-up role.
Yjuliahos ($4.10) converted a pocket trip into a maiden-breaking victory in the second division with the hot-handed Kelly Hoerdt in the bike for trainer Richard Lancaster and owner Ray Soh of Delta, B.C. The popular Trust The Artist-Chewy Hanover filly was 3-1/4 lengths the best in 1:58.1, with Riverunsnappy (Dennis Johnston) closing through the passing lane and edging out pacesetter Indigo Beach (Serge Masses) for second-place.
Hoerdt also guided Western Canada Pacing Derby champion Kneedeep N Custard ($2.50) to a 1:54.3 front-end score in the opening division of the Robert Murphy Memorial. The Custard The Dragon-Art Amour gelding swept out of an early three-hole and took the lead from Bettor Cat (Scott Knight) after the first quarter then held one length clear of that foe at the end of the mile, with Kootenay Mystery (Dennis Johnston) finishing back in third.
Hoerdt trains and co-owns Kneedeep N Custard with Blair Corbeil of Beaumont, Alta., and Fred Gilbert of Brandon, M.B. Unraced as a two-year-old, the bay gelding is nine-for-17 this year with earnings amounting to $122,002.
Rockin N Talkin ($2.10) led wire-to-wire as the heavy favourite in the second division for driver Bill Tainsh Jr. and trainer Jim Marino, who co-owns with J J J Stables of Prince George, B.C. Suspicions Runwild (Kelly Hoerdt) and Sea Laird (John Abbott) followed 2-1/2 lengths behind in the 1:54.4 mile.
The Custard The Dragon-Shes Just Rockin gelding, who swept his Robert Millbank preliminary divisions as a freshman, earned his second win in a dozen starts this year and now has $119,920 in lifetime earnings.
In regular racing action, J J J Stables' Boiling Oar ($5.40) defeated the Hoerdt trainees Iwontdothatagain and Peace Out Posse for his second straight Open win in a new lifetime mark of 1:51 flat. Bill Tainsh Jr. was aboard the four-year-old Shadow Play-Arm In Arm gelding, who looped Buddys Hope after a contested :26.1 quarter and rebuffed Iwontdothatagain to win by 1-1/4 lengths for Marino.
Hoerdt ended the night with five driving wins while Marino had four training tallies on the 13-race card.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Fraser Downs.