PAN CUSHION FASTEST TWO-YEAR OLD 

Fraser Downs made the news thanks to Pan Cushion's winning qualifier in 2:00.1 last Saturday.

The time is not startling until a closer look reveals the true significance.

Pan Cushion is a two-year-old and the result turned in by the son of The Panderosa-Needles And Pans makes him the fastest two-year-old in North America this season.

Pan Cushion, who is owned, trained and driven by Serge Masse, registered fractions of 29.2, 1:00.1 and 1:30 before pacing home in 30.1 in his first qualifying attempt.

The rookie, who is the second foal of multiple stakes winner Paige Nicole Q (1:52 - $712,801), was purchased for $22,000 at the 2005 Lexington Select yearling sale.

Paige Nicole Q's resume included wins in the $470,300 Breeders Crown two-year-old filly pace final and a win in the $195,072 final of the Jugette as a three-year-old. 

MARINO STRONG TO END: Fittingly, Jim Marino led all drivers in wins on the last weekend of live racing of the 2005-06 meet at Fraser Downs.

Marino chalked up six wins, giving him 141 for the meet which started last October and encompassed 86 days of racing. Bill Davis, who moved his stable to Edmonton’s Northlands Park a couple of months ago, finished second with 112.

Jim Burke, who was fourth overall, had five wins to finish the meet (and now has 1,989 for his career). Gord Abbott and Scott Knight, sixth and seventh at the meet respectively, each had three victories. Richard Craig had two wins in two starts.

Wayne Isbister, who was second overall with 60 to Davis’ 65, led all trainers last weekend with five wins. Abbott had three while Craig, Knight and Heather Burke had two each. 

BIG T FAST: Big T Machine, a three-year-old daughter of Safe N Rich, made it two straight wins last Friday, this time in a new life mark of 1:59.1 for trainer/driver Gord Abbott.

I The Undersigned, a seven-year-old daughter of Thatll Be Me, registered her second straight victory and ran her 2006 record to 15-7-3-3 for trainer Wayne Isbister and driver Jim Marino.

Moscow Dancer stayed hot as the eight-year-old son of Armbro Moscow won his second in a row for trainer Heather Burke and driver Jim Burke. Dance, who is just short of $200,000 in career earnings, covered the mile in 1:56.1 after setting a life mark of 1:55.4 the week before.

Better Best, an eight-year-old daughter of Cambest, missed her lifetime mark by one tick in winning in 1:57.3 for Isbister and Marino. She is 15-6-5-2 in 2006.

Lunar Tko, a four-year-old son of Atomic Force, sprinted the last quarter in a quick 28.4 seconds, to win his first, in 15 starts, of 2006 for trainer/driver Richard Craig.

Red Star Dusty, a five-year-old son of Just Camelot, paced the mile in 1:56.1, a new life mark, while winning his fifth in his last nine starts for trainer Ann Cooper and driver Tim Brown.

Scooting Spree, a three-year-old son of Keystone Landmark, won his fourth of seven starts in 2006 in a lifetime best clocking of 1:57.4 for trainer/driver Jim Burke.

In the race, three horses were involved in an accident. Driver Andy Arsenault, who most will remember was involved in a serious accident at Sandown a couple of years ago, went down again while driving Dal Reo Adieu. Andy booked off the rest of his drives but said later the accident proved he could bounce well. Unfortunately, Tim Jacobson’s horse S Ks Memory, was taken from the track after suffering a broken leg and had to be put down.

Red Star Turbulent, a six-year-old son of Pacific Fella, made it two straight last Saturday and four wins in his last five starts for trainer Bob Merschback and driver Jim Burke. He is 15-7-3-1 for the year.

Red Star Emerson, a six-year-old son of Armbro Emerson, was sharp as he lowered his career best mark to 1:54.4 and moved his 2006 record to 15-4-1-5 for trainer/driver Gord Abbott. Emerson has earned more than $34,000 in 2006 and more than $230,000 lifetime.

Lunar Chipmunk, a six-year-old son of Atomic Force, raced to victory in 1:56.3, a new life mark. The ‘Munk is trained by Alex Gibb and was driven by Jim Marino.

Rockridge Winston, a six-year-old son of Flicker Hanover, dropped his best career clocking to 1:57.3 as he won his first of 2006 for trainer/driver Tim Jacobson.

Carons Record Time, a four-year-old son of Quanah Parker, is aptly named, or was last Saturday, as he lowered his life mark to 1:59.

I ll Be Doud, a four-year-old daughter of Daylon Marshal, had to settle for second last Saturday but it made her fine 2006 record 16-3-8-2 for driver/trainer Scott Knight. 

DUCA IMPRESSIVE: Duca, who competed earlier this year at Fraser Downs, came within two ticks of equaling Tajma Hall's all-age track record of 1:51 at Northlands Park in Edmonton last Saturday.

Duca was impressive in a clocking of 1:51.2 in the $17,500 open pace for trainer/driver Bill Davis.

Duca enjoyed a pocket trip behind Tajma Hall, who had fractions of 26.3, 55.3 and 1:23. Duca's margin of victory was 3¾ lengths over runner-up Tyber King while Tajma Hall tired to finish four-lengths back in third.

The win was the second straight for the five-year-old son of Western Hanover-Seven Oclock, who has come to life since joining the Davis barn.

Duca has compiled an impressive 5-5-0 record in 10 starts this season for Burnaby's Niele Jiwan, who owns the career winner of $227,890. 

WORLD MARK FOR BOBCAT: Primetime Bobcat established a world record last Saturday at Woodbine thanks to his 1:47.2 mile in the weekly edition of the $50,000 Open pace.

The electrifying mile cut a fifth of a second off of Jennas Beach Boy's previous record of 1:47.3, which he set as a four-year-old in 1996 at the Meadowlands.

The nine-year-old gelded son of Abercrombie-Emerald Girl, driven by Jody Jamieson, tracked pacesetter Rair Earth through fractions of 25.1, 53.2 and 1:20.4 before roaring out of the pocket.

The Tony Montini-trainee appeared to be shot out of a cannon as he paced home in 26.1 in the record setting performance and in doing so registered his 40th career win. His margin of victory was 4½ lengths over Buckeye One, who finished second, and Rair Earth, who was third.

Montini shares ownership on Primetime Bobcat, who is a career winner of $463,517, with partners William Rogers, Basil Michele and Joseph Rogers.

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