What do J J J Stables and Martin Meissenheimer have in common?
Both can say they owned 100 per cent of Tap Away, the horse that raced at Fraser Downs Friday night.
J J J Stables is Tap Away's official owner, while Meissenheimer "owned" the horse in the popular Owner for a Day contest, sponsored by TBC (The Betting Company) and Harness Racing B.C.
Nine patrons had earned a horse in the eighth race on March 7. They'd qualified during the previous two weeks in handicapping contests at TBC Racebooks throughout B.C.
The evening started with each fan drawing a horse, going to the backstretch to meet "their" trainer – and wish "their" horse good luck.
After enjoying a buffet dinner, everyone gathered on the tarmac to cheer their horses on.
The $5,300 (with $2,650 to the winner) was split the same way as all owners – sixth to ninth – and a good time was had by all.
One Badland Nite won the $20,000 Muriel Fornwald Memorial Stake for the team of Elizabeth Okum and Steve Hudon.
Trainer/driver Scott Knight won three races from his own stable.
Trainer/driver Quentin Schneider proved to be the best Fraser Downs poker player from the backstretch; Schneider finished third overall, taking home $700.
From showshoes to track shoes, that was the difference at Fraser Downs on Sunday, where it didn't snow this week.
Big N Bad was just that when he won the open pace for trainer/driver Bill Davis in 1:51:4 – only one second off the track record.
Outlawishfulthinkn won the $20,000 Clarence Gordon Memorial Stake race on the same race card. Jim Marino does it all for this four-year-old, Alberta-bred he drives, and trains – and cashes the owners cheques.
Racing resumes Friday, March 14 at 7 p.m. and at 1:45 p.m. on Sunday, March 16.
– Contributed by Jackson Wittup, executive director of Harness Racing B.C.
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