DUCA IMPRESSIVE IN DEBUT
Duca, a newcomer to Fraser Downs was
highly impressive in winning the open at Fraser Downs last
Saturday.
Owner Niele Jiwan recently shipped Duca
to the Downs from Ontario where he had campaigned and
registered a lifetime mark of 1:52.
The five-year-old son of Western
Hanover was not quite that fast Saturday but his 1:53.4
clocking was the fastest in 2006 on the five-eighth mile
track. Saturday’s start was his first of 2006 after a couple
of impressive qualifying races with trainer/driver Bill
Davis.
Duca, a 6-5 second choice in the field
of six, rushed to the front from his two spot on the gate
and went gate to wire for the 2˝-length victory.
Armbro Blacktie finished second but was
placed back to fifth for a violation of the breaking rule
and causing interference to Grand Bend Turbo.
Red Star Senator, a 25-1 shot, was
third, placed second, and Sucha Smooth Deal, a 44-1 choice,
was fourth, placed third.
Duke Is Duke, winner of the previous
two opens, runner-up in the Clash of the Pacific and 4-5
favorite, threw a shoe in the race after holding second
early and was pulled up.
CRUSER CRUISES AND MOVES:
Westwood Cruser, a six-year-old daughter of Freedoms Pass,
won her third in a row and fourth in her last six (all in
2006) last Friday for trainer/driver Bill Davis. Cruser, who
has won more than $20,000 in 2006 and more than $143,500 in
her career, was claimed out of the race for $22,500.
Accent Seelster, a four-year-old son of
Camluck, captured his third straight (along with a second
and third in six starts in 2006) for trainer Mike Glover and
driver Jim Marino.
Tnt Mattie, a four-year-old son of
Distinguishedbaron, won his second consecutive race – and
equaled his lifetime mark of 1:58.2 -- for Marino and
trainer Tim Brown.
Maxillas Future is another who has
enjoyed the turning of the calendar. The four-year-old
daughter of Falcons Future has won two straight and three of
six (along with two seconds) in 2006 for trainer/driver Rick
Lancaster.
Red Star Soprano won her second in a
row and ran her 06 record to 5-2-1-2, and set a lifetime
mark of 1:57 for trainer/driver Brad Watt. Then the
five-year-old son of Barnett Hanover was claimed in a
four-way shake.
It was a good night for Lancaster as
his Dancelikeahos got his first victory of 2006 in a new
life mark of 1:56.2.
Celtic Rayne continued her red-hot
2006. The five-year-daughter of Mattduff won her second
straight last Saturday, to go along with two other wins and
two seconds, for trainer/driver Barry Treen. She also
covered the mile in 1:58.4, beating her previous best
lifetime mark by more than two seconds.
Another Treen horse, Rhythm Queen, a
four-year-old daughter of Collector Rd, won her second in
succession, also in a new life mark, 1:57.1.
Rayne and Queen were among seven life
marks set Saturday.
The others were: Rocketdoodledoo
(1:56), You Da Man Cam (1:58.1), Dal Reo Bailey (1:59.4),
Enqvist Blue Chip (1:59, four seconds lower) and Tahuya
Childer (1:58.2).
Rich As Promised, a three-year-old son
of As Promised and a half brother to B.C. Stakes winner Rich
Cam, made it two straight and a new life mark of 1:59.2 for
trainer Jim Mohorich and driver Scott Knight last Sunday.
Cher The Wealth also set a life mark,
1:56.2, for trainer/driver Tim Brown.
When the favorite went off stride and
forced two other horses to also make a break it left five
horses in the second race last Sunday. They all decided they
had a chance and crossed the finish line separated by half a
length. The winner was 14-1 shot Shannons Scoobydoo with
21-1 shot Freedom Whisper second by a head.
DRIVER RACE CLOSE: The drivers’
race for wins remained close at the Downs as the leaders
switched positions last weekend.
Jim Marino started the weekend with a
margin of one over Bill Davis. Next weekend it will be Davis
who holds the one-win margin.
Davis picked up two wins each day and
his six pushed his meet total to 84, one ahead of Marino who
started the weekend with three wins Friday but only managed
one more.
Tim Brown, who is rounding back into
top form, was next to Davis on the weekend with five.
Scott Knight had three victories, all
on Sunday, while Rick Lancaster, Barry Treen, Glenn White,
Andy Arsenault, Dave McKellar, Brad Watt and Dave Hudon had
two apiece.
Brown led all trainers with four trips
to the winner’s enclosure and now has 34 for the meet, good
enough for third.
Lancaster, Treen, Davis, Marino, Arsenault, White and Hudon
shared two each.
McNULTY IN DREAMIN’ FINAL: Mark
McNulty of Burnaby captured week seven of the California
Dreamin’ Handicapping Contest last Saturday at Fraser
Downs.
McNulty had a total of $467 and
received the $250 weekly prize.
Pat Smith was second with $448 while
four competitors – J. W. Freeman, Robert Glenn, Tom Mohammed
(a previous week’s winner) and Gerald Williams -- shared
third with $420. At $413 were Manohar Singh and Fred
Lester.
McNulty will join Lloyd Burbridge, 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, which will result in the
winner spending a weekend at Santa Anita racetrack in
California for the Santa Anita Derby on April 8, has three
more weeks in the 10-week event.
Each Saturday until March 4,
contestants will handicap a series of races from Santa
Anita. Entry ballots are 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.
BREEDERS INCENTIVE BACK: The
B.C. Standardbred Breeders Society’s B.C. stallion incentive
program has been brought back for the 2006 breeding season.
The BCSBS will contribute – with some conditions -- $500
toward the stud fee for any stallion standing in the
province. Application forms are available from the BCSBS
office.
SASKATCHEWAN ADDS DATES: The
Saskatchewan Standardbred Horsemen's Association announced
this week that its horsemen will be able to race at home
through the summer and into the fall this year.
For the first time in many years,
racing will return to Yorkton Exhibition Park beginning on
June 24. Racing will shift to Craven from the end of July
into September and the meet will be extended for six weeks
at Saskatoon, ending on Oct. 21.
This summer-long meet is in comparison
to just six weeks of racing in the province last year.
The 2006 harness racing dates in
Saskatchewan are: Yorkton Exhibition Park -- qualify June
10, opening day June 24, July 1, 7, 8, 14, 15; Craven --
July 23, 30,
Aug. 6, 13, 20, 27, Sept. 2, 3, 9, 10;
Marquis Downs (Saskatoon) – Sept. 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30,
Oct. 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21.
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