Adorable Killean Triumphs In Surrey Cup
Amidst an action-packed Saturday card at Fraser Downs, Adorable Killean equaled a new lifetime mark in the featured $25,000 Surrey Cup Final for four-year-old pacing mares.
The daughter of Astreos, who is trained and driven by David Hudon, got away third as Keystone Devine (James Burke) led the field to the first quarter pole in :28.1. Adorable Killean made her winning move en route the half in :57.1 as she overtook the leader and pulled away from the field by two lengths.
The 9-5 second choice coasted past the third quarter station in 1:25.3 and dug in with a :28.4 final quarter effort to hold off Real Beauty (David McKellar) by a length for the win in 1:54.2. Judges Acenthehole (Jim Marino) was third.
Adorable Killean is owned by Marsha Holmes and Nigel Holmes of Langley and Kelly Hudon of Surrey, B.C. Her ninth win pushed her earnings over the $100,000 mark.
Hudon also drove two more of his pupils to victory. The resident of Surrey, B.C. guided Nazko Daytona to victory in a career best clocking of 1:55.2 in Race 5 while Intrepid Kate took her second straight win for Hudon in Race 10 in a time of 1:57. He also sat in rein to Race 11's winner, Lets Went Robbie (1:59.2), who is trained by James Mohorich.
Hudon has recorded 1,025 training wins and earned over $5.2 million in purses in his career.
A pair of $8,375 BC Sales Stakes for three-year-old fillies kicked off Saturday’s afternoon card with Alexaastrordinaire and Meter Maid scoring wins in their respective splits.
Fresh off an 11 length upset in last week’s Mary Murphy Breeders Stake Final, Alexaastrordinaire prevailed in 1:57.2 after taking the lead following the opening quarter in :29. The Astreos filly carved out the remaining fractions of 59.1 and 1:28.3 before pulling away from the pack by two and three-quarter lengths.
Miss Prom (James Burke) was the runner-up and Garden Gate Crème (Gord Abbott) finished third.
The winner of seven races and $106,409 in purses is trained by Walter Slopianka for John Heras of Delta, B.C.
In the second split, Meter Maid set out from Post 1 in rein to James Burke. The Usher Hanover miss posted panels of 30.2, 1:00.3 and 1:30.1 before holding off a rush from Full Of Machz (Jim Marino) by half a length for the win in 2:00.2. Austinfirstpeace (Bill Davis) was third.
Heather Burke trains the winner of eight races and $79,050 in purses for Cindy Postnikoff of Surrey, B.C.
In other action, Rod Therres’ Robert Murphy Breeders Stake Final winner, Royal Morn, found himself in the winner’s circle again after coasting to victory in the $17,000 Open Pace.
With Therres in the bike, the three-year-old Usher Hanover gelding led the field through fractions of :27.1, :56.4 and 1:26.2 before reaching the wire in 1:55.2 by two and a half lengths.
Longshot Red Star Senator (James Burke) closed well for second while Shales Froggy (Barry Treen) finished third despite enduring broken equipment.
Charles Macfarlane of Victoria, B.C. co-owns the winner of 11 races and $179,742 in purses.
To view Saturday’s results, click here.