DOWNS STAKES SCHEDULE SET

An agreement has been reached on the contentious conditions of some stakes races – and therefore the stakes calendar dates now are set -- for Fraser Downs.

Previously decided were dates for the Arbutus Stake (the final is this Saturday) and for the Breeders on Nov. 11, the Sales on Dec. 9 and 10 and the Stallion on April 20 and 21.

Finally added to the sked are: the Surrey Cup (Nov. 24), Mr Vancouver (Dec. 8), Keith Linton Memorial (Jan. 13), Penny Bath Memorial (Jan. 14), Miss Valentine (Feb. 11), Miss Cloverdale Classic (Feb. 25), The Delta (March 18) and The Sandown Plate (March 24).

All will be raced for purses of about $25,000.

The Linton and Bath Memorials replace the former Langley and Pat Brennan Memorial races although conditions have been changed.

Dropped for at least this year is the Clash Of The Pacific, an open event and richest of the races not conducted by the B.C. Breeders Society. 

ONLY FOUR FOR ARBUTUS: With only four entries for this Saturday’s Arbutus Stake for three-year-old fillies, race secretary Keith Quinlan has made the event a non-betting affair.

Top trainer/driver Serge Masse has dropped two entries into the box and only two other trainers were ready to take on the entry.

One big reason has been the performances of Masse’s Furious Five. The daughter of Faldo Hanover-Big Five put her name into the Downs' record book on Sept. 29 when covered the five-eighths mile oval in a time of 1:54.1 last Friday. (The clocking shaved a fifth of a second off Fast Lane Cruizin's track mark of 1:54.2 for three-year-old fillies).

Furious Five also captured the $132,000 Alberta Breeders three-year-old filly event on Sept. 17 and has won $201,032 for owners Jarm Investments Ltd. of Edmonton.

Leanback Coco, the other part of the Masse combo, has won five of her last six and set a life mark of 1:54 in the process.

Joining the Masse duo in the $17,000 event are Red Star Dixie and Sweetypea.

Dixie, trained by Rick Lancaster, has made four starts at the meet has finished first through fourth. He victory came in a life best of 1:56.2.

Sweetypea, trained by Dave Hudon, has but two starts at the meet but one was a winning one in 1:56.2. 

MARINO, ABBOTT SHARE HONORS: No one driver was able to make great inroads last weekend in the win statistical category of the 2006-07 Fraser Downs live racing meet.

Driver/trainer Serge Masse, who leads all categories in the early dates of the meet, was away at the Lexington horse sale but still holds a comfortable margin in wins.

Jim Marino and Gord Abbott each had four victories to set the pace over last weekend’s three cards. Dave Hudon and Scott Knight had three each while Jim Burke and Clint Warrington had a pair apiece.

Marino and Hudon now have 13 for the meet and Abbott 12. Masse, who had 10 wins over two days of the previous weekend, remained at 23.

Hudon led all trainers last weekend with three trips to the winner’s enclosure and did close the gap on Masse. Hudon moved to 11, just three behind Masse.

Wayne Isbister now shares third overall with Ann Cooper at seven after winning twice along with Knight. 

DUCA WINS IN RETURN: Duca returned from Alberta and quickly displayed that he is ready to again take on the best in the open event at the Downs.

The five-year-old son of Western Hanover, trained by Bill Davis and driven by Darren Howald, went gate to wire in winning the open in 1:52.4. That is the fastest time of 2006 at the Downs and just three fifths of a second off the track record. Duca now has nine wins in the year, 18 lifetime and more than $259,000 in career earnings.

Betterfrombehind, a four-year-old daughter of Kents On Nuke, won the fillies and mares open last Saturday in a time of 1:55. BFB, now trained by Debra McCathy and a stakes winner in B.C. on many occasions, now is 5-3-2 in 12 starts in 2006.

Daves Showboat, a five-year-old son of Deamons Bell, was claimed two weeks ago but that failed to stop him from winning his fourth straight last Friday. While winning for new trainer Mike Short, Showboat, bumped to a $6,000 claimer, dropped his life best to 1:57.1.

Mandys Rich, a nine-year-old son of Safe N Rich owned, trained and driven by Darren Lupul, won last Friday, the 40th win of his career, pushing his career earnings to just short of $245,000.

Johnny Jojo, an eight-year-old son of Camluck trained by Mike Glover, won his second in his three starts at the Downs and his 10th of 2006.

Maxillas Future, a four-year-old daughter of Falcons Future, set a life mark of 1:57.3 in getting her ninth win of the year for trainer Rick Lancaster.

Sues Delema, a six-year old daughter of Freedoms Pass, won her second in a row for trainer Wayne Isbister. It was her eighth win of ‘06, the 19th of her career and pushed her career winnings to more than $81,000.