Oodles of cash was put on the table at Fraser Downs on Tuesday as the Surrey, BC oval played host to the $100,000 Mary Murphy Breeders Stake Final for three-year-old filly pacer, the $100,000 Robert Murphy Breeders Stake Final for three-year-old colt and gelding pacers and a set of $50,000 Breeders Stake Finals for the two-year-old pacers.
Rick Zeron and Mark MacDonald made the journey to Fraser Downs on Tuesday, and together with a number of BC drivers they raised funds for Cole Rutter. The 12-year-old son of Carol St. Amand was seriously injured in an ATV accident two months ago, and he remains in the Intensive Care Unit of the Children’s Hospital in Vancouver.
BC Horsemen already raised close to $40,000 for Rutter in a recent fundraiser in Chilliwack.
Alexaastrordinaire turned in a devastating 1:56.3 effort en route to pulling off a 9-1 upset in the $100,000 Mary Murphy Breeders Stake Final for three-year-old pacing fillies. Jim Marino engineered the 11-length score with the Walter Slopianka trainee.
The daughter of Astreos, who is owned by John Heras of Delta, BC, rolled the field through fractions of :28, :57.3 and 1:26.3 before kicking out a final quarter clocked in :30 seconds to seal the deal. Nazko Shelley rallied for the runner-up spot and Meter Maid rounded out the top three in the nine-filly affair.
The lion’s share of the purse nearly doubled the filly’s lifetime earnings. Her $50,000 share bumped her lifetime total to $101,972. It was the fourth win of the campaign for Alexandraastrordinaire, who is now a six-time winner in her career.
Royal Morn used “come and get me” tactics to win the $100,000 Mary Murphy Breeders Stake Final for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings. The Rod Therres trainee drew off to win by five lengths in a time of 1:54.3 for driver Mark MacDonald, who had four wins on the card.
The son of Usher Hanover, who powered to immediate command from Post 9, threw down panels of :26.4, :57.2 and 1:26.2 before scooting home in :28.1 in the winning performance. Happy Larry, who was sent off as the 4-5 favourite, sat a two-hole trip throughout the mile and wound up second. Garden Gatefantasy was third.
Therres and Charles MacFarlane share ownership on the gelding, who now owns a 7-3-2 record from just 14 starts this season. The $50,000 payday lifted his overall earnings to $171,242.
Primary Purpose found his way to victory lane for the duo of trainer Therres and driver MacDonald in the $50,000 Breeders Stake Final for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings. He wired up the competition in a time of 1:56.1.
MacDonald hustled the colt through splits of :28.2, :59 and 1:27.1 before jetting home in :28.4 en route to the four length decision. Red Star Whippet was second best behind the 1-2 favourite and Camblazer rounded out the top three.
Therres and Charles MacFarlane of Victoria, BC share ownership on the undefeated pacer, who is now 6-for-6 with earnings of just under $50,000.
Promisinggoodnews used an off-the-pace approach to haul home the hardware in the $50,000 Breeders Stake Final for the two-year-old pacing fillies. Rick Zeron, who had a trio of wins on the card, guided the daughter of As Promised to the maiden-breaking score in a time of 1:58.4.
The Barry Treen-trained homebred, who was still sitting seventh at the mid-way point of the mile, watched her stablemate, Celtic Chloe, serve up fractions of :28, :58.2 and 1:28.2. In rein to Treen, the leader couldn’t fend off Promisinggoodnews, who used a :29.4 final frame to notch the victory.
Celtic Chloe was second, and thus gave trainer Treen a sweep of the top two positions. Oral Fixation made a late surge to pick up the show dough.
Owned by Shale Stables of Langley, BC, the rookie bumped her lifetime earnings to $27,151 with the victory.
To view Tuesday’s results, click here.