11 IN BATH ELIMINATIONS

Three trainers will be striving to have an entry in the Penny Bath Memorial final on Jan. 14.

The Bath Memorial is for four-year-old mares who are non winners of $30,000 lifetime up to an including Dec. 15.

Eleven horses were entered for this Sunday’s eliminations, including two each by trainers Wally Slopianka, Barry Treen and Dave Jungquist.

Slopianka will have Complete Game and Intrepid Kate in separate qualifying legs for owners Verve Racing Stable of Victoria. Kate, a daughter of Intrepid Seelster, has won three of her last five starts making her a 9-5 favorite in one leg while Complete Game, by Kents On Nuke, who has won in 1:56, is the 2-1 choice in the other leg. Top driver Bill Davis will handle the reins for each.

Treen has A Midnight Promise and Shesabombshell, who are second choices in each leg, and Jungquist’s entrants are Leah Yankee and True Blonde.

Others include Pedicure, Ross Ridge Biggins, Red Star Tomboy, Gg S Connfidence and Drinks White. The latter was supplemented after a win last Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Keith Linton Memorial for four-year-old horses and geldings, also non winners of $30,000 lifetime, drew but eight entries and will skip the need for Saturday’s eliminations and go right to the final on Jan. 13.

The eight are The Funk Brothers, Rodeo King, Regal Intention, Rays Folly, Madpan, Red Star Robust, Red Star Governor and Fast N Lucky.

The finals for both stakes events will be for about $30,000.

Speaking of Saturday prompts a reminder that the Downs will now switch to Saturday afternoon cards. The first race will go to the post at 1:15 p.m. 

A LOVE STORY: Westart Love, a four-year-old by Western Hanover, made it four wins in a row for owner Niele Jiwan and trainer/driver Bill Davis in taking the featured fillies and mares event of last weekend.

Westart Love, just turned five, was the 4-5 favorite and went gate to wire in covering the mile in 1:57.1. It was her 15th career victory and pushed her career earnings to more than $71,000.

Coco Bongo stalked the pace and finished second to Westart Love for the second straight week, this time by three quarters of a length. Newcomer Lucky Jenny was third in the field of seven racing as $35,000 plus allowance claimers.

The featured guys also raced in a $35,000 claiming event and Armbro Blacktie picked up his first win since being claimed by owners Herb Boggs and Jerry Blanchet on Nov. 10.

The six-year-old son of Camluck was last in the field of six after a quarter, moved to fifth at the half and continued his attack on the outside to the wire. The 9-2 third choice covered the last quarter in 29.2 seconds, the mile in 1:56.3 and won by half a length.

Blacktie is trained by Jim Marino, who made a good move on the day which saw him have to book off drives, by getting Bill Davis to handle the reins. Blacktie now has more than $185,000 in career earnings.

Whitesand Lord, a 12-1 shot, was second and Hi Time Ascot, who closed late, was third.

Even money favorite Active Pass was fifth, three lengths back. 

A DAVIS CHAPTER: Bill Davis slipped ever so slightly last weekend – just seven wins – but it was more than enough to again widen his margin over other rivals.

Davis was having a relatively modest weekend until he picked up four victories on New Year’s Day.

Gord Abbott, Serge Masse and Scott Knight each had three triumphs while Tim Brown and Barry Treen had two apiece.

Davis also led all trainers with five wins. Wally Slopianka was next with three while Masse and Treen had two each. 

SOPRANO SWEET: Red Star Soprano goes on making beautiful music.

Here is how the year’s 2006 chart looks for the five-year-old son of Barnett Hanover out of Thankfilly Nikki. He performed 32 times and led the way 12 times. He was second best on six occasions and third best on four. That meant he earned just short of $78,000 for the year.

And, he is on a long run at the top of the hit parade. Friday’s win, in 1:56.3 from the outside eight hole on a sloppy track, was his seventh in succession. All the wins have been by large margins.

Since being claimed by owner Niele Jiwan for $10,000 for trainer Bill Davis Soprano has not been beaten -- all at a $20,000 to $25,000 claiming tag.  

Just for the record, the longest winning skein at the Downs is by Almost A Fool who won 15 straight from March 28, 1999 to Nov. 13, 2000. 

INTENDING TO WIN: Regal Intention is another who has found the winning way in spades. The three-year-old son of As Promised out of Berry Royal, won his fourth in succession, and fifth of the meet, for trainer/driver Barry Treen and owner Evert Vandenborn. Regal Intention finished 2006 at 17-6-4-3 and with more than $26,000 in earnings.

Ben Mi Creich, a three-year-old daughter of As Promised, liked her maiden win so much she won her second straight for trainer Dan Desko and owner Jim Findlay.

Judge Bullingham, a five-year-old son of Splendid Splinter, made it two in a row for trainer/driver Bill Davis.

One of the busiest horses of 2006, Incredible Day, won his second straight in his 47th start of the year. The four-year old by Incredible Finale is trained by Wally Slopianka.

Red Star Apache, a seven-year-old son of Safe N Rich, captured the 24th victory of his career and pushed his life earnings to more than $143,000 while winning his first of 2006 (in start No. 7). Apache is trained by Heather Sifert.

Cher The Wealth, a seven-year-old daughter of Wheelin Chance, won and pushed her career earnings to more than $153,000.

Straightotheheart (f 4 Straight Path) raced to a new life mark of 2:00.2 while winning her first of 2006 (in start 22) for trainer Walter Mitchell; Free Passage (4 g Freedoms Pass) lowered his lifetime best to 1:59 for trainer Helmut Ratz; Twentyfivetolife (g 4 Fit For Life) was sharp in cutting his best ever clocking to 1:55.2 for trainer Wally Slopianka and Rays Folly (h 4 Usher Hanover) dropped his lifetime mark to 1:58 for trainer Ray Gemmill.

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