DAVIS STARTS 06 WITH BANG

Bill Davis may have only tied for the most driving wins at Fraser Downs in 2005 but he made a big indication last Sunday that he intends to be tough to beat in 2006.

The perennial top driver in B.C., Davis roared to six victories on New Year’s Day. Four of those wins came with horses he also trains.

One of the triumphs came with Active Pass in an elimination leg of the Langley Pace.

The others for the 44-year-old from Langley were: I The Undersigned (1:59.2), Red Star Fantasia (2:00.2), Vanishing Equity (2:01.2, Dal Reo Dienasty (1:59) and Dal Reo Indy (2:01.4).

Davis had 189 wins and $1,178,686 in purse earnings in 2005. Lifetime, he has 4,388 wins and over $15 million.

Davis was dominant (there’s that word again) last weekend. He had three previous wins for a total of nine, six more than anyone else.

Jim Marino, Serge Masse, Scott Knight and Jim Burke had three victories each while Brad Watt, Rod Therres, Tim Brown, Dave Jungquist and Dave McKellar had two apiece.

Davis led all trainers with seven trips to the winner’s enclosure leaving five others tied for second, five in arrears. The deadlocked runners-up included Masse, McKellar, Jungquist, Knight and Bill Young. 

JANE MAKES NOISE: Anything you can do I can do better seems to be a theme song for Carson Jane and Make Some Noise in the fillies and mares open at the Downs.

Two races ago, Make Some Noise was highly impressive in winning the open but last Saturday it was Carson Jane’s turn to do the impressing. The five-year-old daughter of Cambest covered the mile over the good track in 1:57.2 in winning by 3½ lengths over Make Some Noise.

Owned by Bill Boden and trained by Dave Hudon, Carson Jane, from the three spot on the gate got in an early dual with Noise, who left from the rail. It took Jane until they passed the grandstand for the first time to get the lead. But she seemed in control from then on under the handling of Jim Marino, who drove her for the first time.

Jane now has won five wins and been second twice in eight f and m opens since the start of the meet. Noise has won two and been second three times in five open races.

Ivys Wine, Jane’s stablemate and part of a 4-5 favored entry, was third in the six-horse field.

Jane completes 2005 with 10 wins and more than $62,000 in earnings. 

DUKE WINS OPEN AGAIN: Duke Is Duke roared quickly back to the winner’s enclosure last Sunday in the open event at the Downs.

Duke, after being assigned an outside post and never getting into the fray in the field of eight the previous week, added to his fine recent performances (four successive wins, three straight in the open).

This time he drew the two-spot on the gate and, after battling Haras Colta Cola early and settling for two-hole, took the lead before the half and was never caught. The 4-5 favorite, Duke won by 1¾ lengths in a time of 1:56.3 over a track rated only as good.

Armbro Blacktie, second in the previous open and the recent winner of the Mr. Vancouver, closed with a late charge to get second. Lance Raider was third in the field of eight.

Duke Is Duke, an eight-year-old son of Jennas Beach Boy, is owned by Joe Lin of Edmonton and was trained and  driven by Serge Masse. He now has won 21 races and more than $172,000 in his career.

NEW MARK FOR DICTATOR: Red Star Dictator, a three-year-old son of Dancing Puddles and a full brother to Fast Lane Cruizin, set a lifetime mark of 1:59.2 in winning on a track rated only good last Saturday.

Three horses won their second straight race last Saturday. Two – Magic Rain Drop and Way To Go Chief – had been driven to victory by Hall of Fame driver Ron Pierce in his visit on Boxing Day. Downs’ drivers Tim Brown and Dave Jungquist were watching and were able to keep the driver alive.

The other back-to-back winner was Caffeined, driven by Bill Davis. The newcomer to the Downs won in a $20,000 claimer, was bumped to $35,000 and did it again.

Im In Overdrive, trained by Rene Goulet, won his second straight last Friday in the first race. The previous victory came Dec. 16 in Edmonton.

Twentyfivetolife, trained by Wally Slopianka, made it an Alberta daily double, winning the second race in a new life mark of 1:58.1 over a sloppy track.

Red Star Vinessa won her second in a row for driver/trainer Dave McKellar. Magic Pal, with trainer Serge Masse in the sulky, won in 1:58.2 in the $20,000 claiming event and now has three wins and three seconds in his last seven starts.

Lunar Princess made it two successive wins last Sunday for driver Serge Masse and trainer Heather Sifert. 

KOSOLOFSKI ROARS TO LEAD: Bob Kosolofski of Langley has jumped out to the lead after week one of the California Dreamin’ Handicapping Contest at Fraser Downs.

Kosolofski registered winnings of  $624 to get off to a strong start in the 10-week contest. Dave Powell holds second spot at $592 while Rob Sharpe is third at $564. Right behind and rounding out the top five are Don Morrison at $562 and Ron Nelson at $555.

The contest, which will result in the winner spending a weekend at Santa Anita racetrack in California for the Santa Anita Derby on April 8, runs for 10 consecutive weeks.

Each Saturday until March 4, contestants will be asked to handicap a series of races from Santa Anita. Entry ballots will be made 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.

The 10 finalists will battle head-to-head in the California Dreamin' Handicapping Championship on Saturday, March 11 in the Homestretch Party Zone.