Lillybrookecruiser has proven to be a welcome addition to the Amanda Fraser barn, as she has come away with three wins and a second from her last four appearances. The mare will suit up again in Cal-Expo's opening race on Friday, April 1.

“I’ve her since early February,” related Fraser, when asked about the four-year-old Ohio-bred daughter of Yankee Cruiser, who carries the banner of Richard Michael and Lawrence Keethe. “When I first got her, I thought she might be a tricky mare to train, but she’s proven me wrong.”

It turns out the key to getting Lillybrookecruiser to chill and do her best work is a trotting mare named Victory Felicia, who came down last year with Amanda from north of the border. “That’s her little buddy, and they get along great and love to play.”

Lillybrookecruiser gave an indication of things to come when she romped home by eight lengths over a modest cast on March 5, then stepped up a level and did an encore the following week with Luke Plano in the racebike. James Kennedy has been her pilot for the last two races.

“Luke quarter-moved with her in those first two wins and she seemed to like it,” Fraser noted. “James took her back in the next start and I really loved the way she finished that night. He asked me what the game plan was last week and I left it up to him, and he decided to leave with her and gave her a perfect trip.”

Lillybrookecruiser has been facing mostly males in these outings while catching a variety of track conditions. “It doesn’t seem to matter a bit to her that’s she facing the boys, although it would probably be an easier field if it was all mares. As far as the condition of the track, she seems to be just as good in the mud as she is when it’s fast.”

(With files from Cal-Expo)