Mother Nature reminded the Horsemen that she is still around as she dumped enough rain on Fraser Downs race track on Thursday (Sept. 18) and Friday (Sept. 19) to make the track muddy.
The good looking two-year-old colt with the interesting name, Illwinifican, (trainer/driver Dennis Johnston) didn’t mind the mud as he is now two for two lifetime after winning the first leg of the Robert Millbanks Stake. Alberta invader Mister Hat finished second and looked good but it might be a tough task to beat the winner in the future.
Not very many horses can win from the eight post position at Fraser Downs but no one told that to Makeing The Mark as the Bill Davis-trained and driven colt remained undefeated in the Robert Murphy stake series.
Prohibitive favorite, Need You So Bad, proved that you have to race the race before the purse money is handed out as he was defeated by Premium Stock from the Jim Marino Stable. Maybe this will be an interesting series after all.
The score is now tied one each between two-year-old fillies Millbanks Writer and Fast Lane Elektra as Millbanks Writer won the first leg of the Betty Millbanks series, with more good battles still to come.
Young driver/trainer Mark Abbott posted a minor upset when his filly, Philly Collins, posted a victory in the second leg of the Mary Murphy stake. Ultra consistent filly, Run And Tell, won the other division.
After three weeks of racing, there have been three different winners in the Open Pace. Rock Allstar added his name to the list for veteran trainer Rick Lancaster and driver Scott Knight.
The two-year-old colts continue their battle on Thursday (Sept. 25) with the two-year-old fillies battling on Friday.
Racing resumes at Fraser Downs on Thursday at 6 p.m. and Friday evening at 7 p.m.
– Jackson Wittup is executive director of Harness Racing B.C.
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