CARSON JANE PICTURE PERFECT
Carson Jane was back in a familiar
place last Saturday – in the winner’s enclosure after the
fillies and mares open event at Fraser Downs.
Jane, part of a 3-5 favored entry and
driven by trainer Dave Hudon, won a battle to get to the
front and was never headed in a tough field of eight. She
won by a length in a time of 2:01.2 over a tough track.
Carson Jane, a six-year-old daughter of
Cambest, has dominated the open since the start of the meet.
She now has six wins in nine starts since Nov. 3 and two
races she has not won came when she was assigned an outside
post.
Owned by Bill Boden, Jane has now won
$16,500 in 2006 and more than $150,000 lifetime.
The 2-1 second choice Rustle For It,
who had the outside post and battled early for the lead, was
second and Make Some Noise was third.
Three horses – Red Star Ginny,
Alldressedinvelvet and Concrete Angel -- in last Saturday’s
open will race this Sunday in the $37,950 Miss Valentine for
four-year-old mares. Others in the tough field of seven are
Betterfrombehind, the 2-1 morning line favorite, Cameezy,
who will be part of an entry with Ginny, Jimmy Jams Jubilee
and Millbanks Counsel.
FIDDLER ON THE MOVE: Old veteran
Red Star Fiddler, an 11-year-old son of Scruffy Hanover,
continues to roll along and move, literally.
Fiddler got his third straight win for
trainer Wayne Isbister and driver Jim Marino last Friday. It
was Fiddler’s 36th career victory and third in five starts
in 2006.
He also was claimed – this time by
owner/trainer Daniel Gaboury – for the fourth time since
Dec. 17.
Westwood Cruser, a six-year-old
daughter of Freedoms Pass, won her second in a row and third
in her last five (all in 12006) for trainer/driver Bill
Davis. Cruser has already won more than $15,000 in 2006 and
more than $139,000 in her career.
Accent Seelster, a four-year-old son of
Camluck, captured his second straight) along with a second
and third in six starts in 2006) for trainer Mike Glover and
Marino.
Red Star Turbulent made it two
successive wins for trainer Bob Merschback and driver Jim
Burke. The six-year-old son of Pacific Fella now has 17
career victories.
Celtic Rayne is another off to a good
start in 2006. The five-year-daughter of Mattduff won her
third straight last Saturday, to go along with two seconds,
for trainer/driver Barry Treen.
Oh Semite Sam, an eight-year-old by
General Star, won his second in a row for trainer Alex
Lavery and driver Darren Howald.
Trulyatyrant, a six-year-old son of
True Tyrant, made it three successive wins Saturday for
trainer Dave Smith and this time driver Steve Germain, a
late replacement for Doug Moore who was sidelined following
a spill in an earlier race.
It was a tough day for Sues Delema, a
six-year-old daughter of Freedoms Pass who had been red hot.
She had won four (along with a second) in 2006. But last
Saturday she went off stride and finished well back and then
was claimed from owner Bill Eastgate and trainer Barry Treen.
Diamond Teardrop, an eight-year-old
daughter of General Star, made it three straight and three
for three in 2006 last Sunday for trainer/driver Gord Abbott
and owner Robert Murphy. Teardrop was then claimed for
$5,000.
Luckys Lil Dude continues to smoke in
2006. Dude, a four-year-old son of Northern Luck, made it
four victories in a row for driver/trainer Tim Brown last
Sunday. The latest, which was also a new life mark of
1:59.3, came in a $6,000 claiming non winners of five.
Yankee Money also set a lifetime mark
and made it two straight wins for trainer/driver Jim Marino.
Money, a son of Make A Deal, covered the mile in 1:58.
With the weather and track in fine form
Sunday there were two others new marks: Double D Rustler in
1:59.3 and Superfecta Kid in 1:58.
CAFFEINED STILL HOT: Caffeined
had to do a lot of the work – and just held on -- but
extended his domination of the tough $35,000 claiming event
last Saturday.
Caffeined, a five-year-old son of On
The Road Again, kept perking for trainer/driver Bill Davis,
winning his third in four 2006 starts (and fifth of his last
six starts). Caffeined is owned by Niele Jiwan.
Caffeined, part of a 4-5 favored entry,
was content to hold fourth until the half but started after
the leaders and came first up. He held the lead at the
three-quarter pole and held off Sergeirachpaninoff by a neck
at the wire. Sergei followed second over to Caffeined and
almost got there.
Magic Pal, second and first in the
previous two races for the same price, was third.
Caffeined now has won more than $17,500
in 2006.
MARINO TAKES LEAD: Jim Marino
was hot last weekend, enough to move him into the driver
lead, by the narrowest of margins, at the Downs.
Marino had 10 wins over the three
cards, four Friday and three each Saturday and Sunday. He
now has 79 for the meet and 33 in 2006. Bill Davis, who had
three victories on the weekend, trails by one in each
instance.
Tim Brown was second to Marino on the
weekend with four. Joining Davis at three were Jim Burke,
Gord Abbott and Serge Masse. Sharing two triumphs apiece
were Darren Howald, Gil Herrera (up from California), Dave
Hudon and Barry Treen.
Brown and Wayne Isbister shared honors
as top trainer with three wins each. Deadlocked at two were
Mike Glover, Masse, Davis, Treen and Marino.
Rebecca Getson got her first career win
as a trainer when Marino drove Gottogivetoreceive, a horse
she owns, to victory last Sunday.
SAFETY FIRST: The start of last
Friday’s race card was delayed slightly more than an hour
due to repairs to the track.
Drivers felt the conditions were unsafe
due to the heavy rains and loose stone applied to the track
in the afternoon. The grader was used to scim the track
surface and the first race got underway about 8:05.
BURBRIDGE JOINS FINAL PARTY: It
was close but Lloyd Burbridge of North Vancouver captured
week six of the California Dreamin’ Handicapping Contest
last Saturday at Fraser Downs.
Burbridge had a total of $927, to edge
Michel Kean at $923, and receive the $250 weekly prize.
Neil Morrison was third with $776 while
A. Peters had $683 and A.J. Suelzle $618 to finish fifth.
Burbridge will join Ian Barrie, Koji
Kariya, Tom Mohammed, Len Zurowski, Bob Kosolofski and Art
Worsfold in the contest final where contestants will battle
head-to-head on Saturday, March 11 in the Homestretch Party
Zone.
The contest’s winner will spend a
weekend at Santa Anita racetrack in California for the Santa
Anita Derby on April 8.
Each Saturday until March 4,
contestants will handicap a series of races from Santa
Anita. Entry ballots will be available at Guest Services the
morning of each contest day and entry forms must be
submitted before the scheduled post of the second race at
Santa Anita.
The contest consists of six races from
the Santa Anita card, races three through eight, of which
three must be handicapped. For each of the three horses
selected, a mythical $20 win/place/show bet will be placed.
At the end of each contest day, scores will be tallied and
the entrant with the highest total for that contest day will
be crowned a finalist and will receive the weekly $250 prize
money.
AMALGAMATION VOTED DOWN: A
special resolution on the question of amalgamation with the
B.C. Standardbred Association was defeated at the recent
annual general meeting of the B.C. Standardbred Breeders
Society.
With approximately 130 members and
guests in attendance, the members, as well as conducting
their regular business, voted on a special resolution on the
question of amalgamation. The motion was supported by 72 per
cent of the voting members but did not, however, meet the 75
per cent required for a special resolution to pass and was
therefore defeated.
Nominations for directors were part of
the regular business. The nominating committee put forward
four candidates for the four seats that are open. The
committee nominees are Bob Chadwick, Diana Davie, Jim
Findlay and Ken White. Shirley Klassen and Cal Nyuli
accepted nominations form the floor. With more nominees than
vacancies, there will be an election.
A new feature this year at the AGM was
the stallion service auction. Eight services were auctioned
off for a total of $18,400 and all of the proceeds will go
to the newly created B.C. Harness Racing Hall Fame.
BCSA TO HAVE ELECTION: An
election will be held this year for openings on the B.C.
Standardbred Association board of directors.
With 10 nominations received for the
six openings on the board an election is required.
Each year five of the two-year terms
come up for re-election on the board of 10 directors. This
year a sixth place will be open to fill the one-year vacancy
created by the resignation of Paul Harrison.
The candidates for director are Greg
Beneen, Richard Craig, Allan Eng, Gerald Evans, Scott
Knight, Jim Marino, Dave McKellar, Jim Vinnell, John Zahara
and Fred Zaitsoff.
The top five vote getters will be
elected to two-year terms and the sixth a one-year term.
The ballots will be mailed to all
members in good standing as of Feb. 9. Any horsemen who have
not yet joined the BCSA are urged sign up so that they will
be able to take part in this important process.
The new directors will join the board
effective March 27, at the close of the annual general
meeting. The officers for the coming year will then be
elected at the next board meeting.
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