SENATOR WINS FIFTH STRAIGHT

This time Red Star Senator followed a different script but the ending was still the same.

Senator rolled to his fifth straight win of 2006 last Saturday in the premier event (claiming $35,000, non-winners of $7,500 last six with open pacers) of the weekend at Fraser Downs.

However, this time he did not roar away from the outside post on the gate but settled into third in the field of six. Still third at the half he was flushed out from the rail by the first-up Haras Colta Cola.

He grabbed the lead before they got to the three quarter pole and went on for a 2¼-length victory in 1:54.1 after roaring the last quarter in 28.3 seconds. Colta Cola followed Senator for second and 50-1 shot C Lec Machine was third.

Senator, who was again driven by Jim Burke, now has a 14-7-2-3 mark and $57,900 in earnings for the year. He is less than $10,000 from career earnings of a quarter of a million.

The four-year-old son of Presidential Ball, who was part of a 1-9 favored entry, is owned by Mary Murphy and trained by Bob Merschback. Senator is now expected to campaign in Ontario. 

MASSE LEADS DOWNS DRIVERS: Serge Masse paced all drivers at the Downs last weekend with five victories. Masse, whose winning percentage of 26 leads all drivers, now has 87 wins, fourth best for the meet.

Top driver Jim Marino (at 134), Jim Burke and Gord Abbott each had four wins while Darren Lupul had two.

Lupul’s two wins came with horses he trains and that enabled him to tie as leading conditioner. Also picking up a pair of triumphs were Heather Burke and Bob Merschback. Bill Davis, now campaigning in Edmonton, is top trainer with 65, six ahead of Masse. 

OPERA A HIT: Beggars Opera, a four-year-old son of Splendid Splinter, won his second straight in a new life mark of 1:57.3 last Friday. Opera sings for trainer Jane Kelly and driver Mike Bourgeois.

I ll Be Doud, a four-year-old daughter of Daylon Marshal, made it two straight victories and a 15-3-7-2 mark in 2006 for driver/trainer Scott Knight.

Tiskilwa, a six-year-old son of Northern Luck, captured his second consecutive win for trainer Steve Germain and driver Serge Masse.

I The Undersigned, a seven-year-old daughter of ThatllBeMe, ran her 2006 mark to 16-6-3-3, for trainer Wayne Isbister with a win Friday.

Rodeo King, a three-year-old son of Blissfull Hall, now is 4-4-2-0 in 2006 after registering a career best clocking of 1:56.2 for trainer/driver Masse.

Hf Percy, a six-year-old daughter of Debs Prince, just missed her life mark of 1:56 with a 1:56.1 victory for a 16-2-3-7 record in 2006 for trainer Alana Main and driver Gord Abbott. The win ended the four-race winning streak of Cher The Wealth, who was claimed out of the race after a fourth-place finish.

Spirits Y To K, a six-year-old son of Hy Class Spirit, won his second in a row last Saturday for trainer Diana Davie and driver Gord Abbott.

Moscow Dancer, getting up there as an eight-year-old son of Armbro Moscow, still was able to fly to a new life mark of 1:55.4 for trainer Heather Burke and driver Jim Burke. Despite being the longest shot on the board at 24-1, Dancer came through to upset Trulyatyrant who was trying for his fourth straight win and ninth of the year.

C Lec Thors Legend, a six-year-old son of C Lechthor, won his first of the year and established a career best of 2:00.2 for trainer Ed Lechner and driver Serge Masse.

Red Star Turbulent triumphed to run his 2006 mark to 14-6-3-1 and Winter Bliss won his fifth, along with a second and six thirds in 16 starts, in the year.

Found A Diamond, Ben Mi Criech and Diamond Spree finished 1-2-3 in the 11th race last Saturday. The significance: All are three-year-old fillies sired by As Promised. 

BOBCAT PROWLS WELL: Primetime Bobcat has grabbed the prime time news.

The nine-year-old son of Abercrombie-Emerald Girl tied the all-time Canadian record and set an overall track record, roaring over Woodbine Racetrack last Saturday in a sizzling 1:48.1 in the $50,000 Open Pace.

The earlier Canadian record was set by Goliath Bayama at the Hippodrome de Montreal on Aug. 19, 2001.

It was 1¼ lengths back to Dr No and Rair Earth, who finished second and third. Ironically, the two went into the event as co-holders of Woodbine's 1:48.2 track record.

The 1:48.1 clocking gives Primetime Bobcat, who is now eight-for-14 this season, the distinction of being North America's fastest performer of 2006 and he is now in the record books as the fastest nine-year-old pacer in the history of the sport.

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