Favourites Deliver In Manitoba Stakes
The popular Classicandregal, What A Rose and My Friend Don all delivered on their pari-mutuel promises with open length scores in a trio of Manitoba stake events on Saturday afternoon at Killarney.
Classicandregal was 10-3/4 lengths the best in the $13,188 Golden Boys Final for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings. The Royal Dilemma-Dawns Majestic colt, a winner of his second leg division on July 24 at Miami, went all the way to win in 2:03.1 over a “good” track for trainer-driver Dallas McGee and owner Lottie McGee of Deloraine, MB. Longshot Art For The Heart (Don Annesss) and Rewin Realslow (Dean Rey) finished back in second and third.
Unraced at two, Classicandregal sports four wins and three second on his record, and earnings totaling $16,033.
MSSBA Futurity and Lady Crocus Stakes champion What A Rose advanced to the lead from third past the half-mile mark and opened up 6-3/4 lengths on the field of sophomore pacing fillies to win the $12,812 Silk Lace Final. Breeder Roland Rey drove the Prince Brian-Countess P J miss to victory in 2:03 for trainer and owner Arthur Rey. K C Abba (Dean Rey) and Heartland Friendha (Philip Giesbrecht) rounded out the top three.
What A Rose is now six-for-eight in her debut season with two second place finishes and $22,882 banked.
Fresh off a 13-length romp in the MSSBA Kindergarten Stake on August 15 at Wawanesa, My Friend Don put on a similar show in the $4,280 Juvenile Stake for two-year-olds.
With Cool As Ice scratched sick, the field was reduced to four and My Friend Don took off and coasted wire-to-wire to win by 13-3/4 lengths in 2:04.4. Kinda Special (Philip Giesbrecht) was second with In Tatters (Don Anness) a distant third.
Driver and co-owner Darryl Mason and trainer Sherri Mason bred the Firm Friend-Tomorrows Pride colt. W. Allan Drader of Brookdale, MB also shares ownership. My Friend Don nearly doubled his bankroll as he notched his third win in five outings.
In regular racing action, four-year-old Great Gates was a wire-to-wire winner in 2:03.4 in the $3,200 Fillies & Mares Open Pace for Roland and Arthur Rey.
To view Saturday’s results, click here.