TWO STRAIGHT FOR STRAIGHT JANE

Using the straightest line between two points – and getting a little racing help – Carson Jane was the best in winning the fillies and mares open last Saturday.

The six-year-old daughter of Cambest covered the mile over the sloppy track in 1:59.3 in winning – for the second straight week -- by 3½ lengths over Make Some Noise.

Jane has been especially sharp as the two have dominated the mares’ open since the start of the meet in October. Jane now has won six wins and been second twice in nine opens and Noise has won two and been second four times in six open races.

Carson Jane, with trainer Dave Hudon in the bike, drew the rail and used full advantage. Part of a 1-5 favored entry, Jane was in an early battle with Domestic Bliss but held a 1½-length lead over the parked Bliss at the quarter.

Meanwhile, just before the quarter while racing third Armbro Beachbaby made a break, interfering with G Vs Cam Can. That left Ivys Wine in third, 5½ lengths back at the quarter.

After the half it became a scramble as Domestic Bliss fell back. Make Some Noise, who was well back early, had to go three wide late on the backstretch. She made a fine effort coming home but Jane and Hudon had too much. The late-closing 65-1 shot Alldressedinvelvet got third.

Carson Jane, who is owned by Bill Boden, got the 20th win of her career and pushed her career earnings to more than $139,000. 

DUKE STANDS TALL: Duke Is Duke, with trainer/driver Serge Masse, used a little different strategy but the result was the same – another triumph in the open event at the Downs.

Starting from the five-hole in the field of seven, the Duke was content to stay there until getting cover behind Lance Raider for a second-over move just before the half. When Lance cleared into the lead midway down the backstretch, Duke kept going and held the lead on the outside at the quarter. He charged home with a 28.2 second last quarter to win by 1¼ lengths in an impressive 1:55.4 over a track rated kindly as good.

Armbro Blacktie, despite poor posts (this time six), again used a late rally to finish second for the third straight week. Armbro Bach, was third but was well back.

Duke, who was an even-money favorite, now has won five of the last six opens and six of his last seven starts. All the previous wins came as he challenged early for the lead.

Duke Is Duke, an eight-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Jennas Beach Boy, is owned by Joe Lin of Edmonton. He now has won 22 races and slightly less than $180,000 in his career. 

NO COFFEE BREAK: Caffeined just keeps percolating. The five-year-old gelded son of On The Road Again won his third straight since arriving at the Downs from Ontario. Owned by Niele Jiwan and trained and driven by Bill Davis, Caffeined has got faster each week and paced to a 1:55.1 mile last Sunday.

Skippy Blue Shoe made it two straight wins for owner Jennifer Dodsworth and trainer/driver Randy Rutledge and also equaled his lifetime mark of 2:00.

Eight-year-old Magic Pal, with trainer Serge Masse in the sulky, won in 1:56.1 in the $20,000 claiming event last Friday. It was his second straight win and his fourth, with three seconds, in his last eight starts. That was good enough for Robert Murphy to claim the son of Cams Magic Trick.

Twentyfivetolife, a four-year-old son of Fit For Life, captured his second victory in a row for trainer Wally Slopianka and driver Rod Therres.

Concrete Angel, owned, trained and driven by Dave Jungquist, made it two successive wins. She is a four-year-old by Dream Work.

Another to make it two straight last Friday was Vanishing Equity, who now has 44 lifetime wins. The 12-year-old son of Precious Energy won for trainer/driver Bill Davis.

Four-year-old Free Passage set a lifetime mark of 2:02.2 last Saturday for trainer Helmut Ratz and Jungquist.

Just Say Wow, a four-year-old son of Jennas Beach Boy, won his second in a row for trainer Tim Brown and driver Jim Marino. Wow!

Marino also drove Sinful Sally, a seven-year-old by Lemoyne Hanover, to her second straight for trainer Ann Cooper. 

DAVIS, MARINO SHARE HONORS: Bill Davis maintained his lead and Jim Marino remained top challenger in the race for most driving wins at the Fraser Downs meet.

Davis used a pair of three-victory days for a six-pack while Marino grabbed five wins last Saturday and added one more to keep pace. Davis now has 58 for the meet, six ahead of Marino.

Dave Jungquist had his best weekend with three to tie Gord Abbott. Sharing two wins apiece were Dave Hudon, Jim Burke, Rod Therres, Serge Masse and Scott Knight.

Wayne Isbister and Tim Brown each had three triumphs to lead all trainers last weekend. The list at two included Jim Wiggins, Walter Slopianka, Jungquist, Davis, Abbott and Masse, who leads the meet with 40. 

CONTEST DEADLINE SUNDAY: Entries for the Fraser Downs’ first Harness Handicapping Challenge will close Sunday.

The big contest is set for Feb. 4.

The top two competitors will represent the Downs in the National Harness Handicapping Championship at the Meadowlands on April 22.

The entry fee into the challenge is $45 that includes all applicable harness programs and dinner after the Fraser Downs live racing card.

Each contestant will be assigned a contest account with a mythical $40 balance. He/she will then have to make a series of 10 $2 win/place wagers with a contest account card. Of the10 wagers, four will be mandatory wagers from Fraser Downs and the other six will be player choice races from tracks such as Woodbine and the Meadowlands.

The contest will begin at approximately 2:30 p.m. and will conclude at 7:30 p.m.  The top five contestants will receive cash and prizes with the top two receiving airfare to Newark, N.J., accommodations for two nights in Rutherford, N.J. and entry into

the National Harness Handicapping Championship.

At the NHHC, the grand prize will be $50,000 U.S.

To sign up for, or receive more information on, the Harness Handicapping Challenge, visit the HPI Centre or call 604-576-9141.  

ART PAINTS TOP TOTAL: Art Worsfold of White Rock captured week two of the California Dreamin’ Handicapping Contest last Saturday at Fraser Downs.

Worsfold led three other contestants who rode the win of a longshot to corral the top spots. Worsfold had the eye-catching total of $1,134 to take the second week’s honors and a $250 prize.

Also with big winnings were Dave Mahy at $930, John Arendt at $857 and Len Zurowski at $760. Rounding out the week’s top five was Bob Nordin at $497.

Worsfold joins week one winner Bob Kosolofski in the contest final.

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.  

TICKET TIME: Tickets are now on sale at the BCSA/BS office for the annual B.C. awards banquet Feb. 25 at Newlands Golf Club. Tickets are $45 for the event that honors the best in harness racing in 2005. 

LET’S MEET: The B.C. Standardbred Breeders Society annual general meeting will be at 6 p.m. Jan. 30 in the Downs Clubhouse. Tickets are $5 for dinner. There will be a stallion auction and a main topic of discussion will be amalgamation with the B.C. Standardbred Association. 

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