Campbell Sweeps Stakes Eliminations
Fraser Downs' leading driver Brandon Campbell opened Friday night's card of harness racing with victories in both Penny Bath Memorial eliminations.
The $10,000 eliminations were won by three-year-old pacing fillies Wild Chic ($24.80) and Kootenay Mystic ($13.80), resulting in a $182.10 'Campbell' Daily Double payout.
The longest shot on the board in the opener, Wild Chic tracked Blue Star Texas through fractions of :28.3, :59.2 and 1:28.2 before edging past the pacesetter at the wire for the neck decision in 1:56.4. The time of the mile was a new lifetime mark for the four-time winner. Favourite Club Dreams finished over two lengths behind in third.
Richard Remillard trains the Western Terror-Be In Style filly for his fellow Gladstone, Manitoba co-owners Valerie Emerson and Garett Isman.
Last year's Betty Millbank Memorial Breeders Stakes champion Kootenay Mystic made her move early on, overtaking Fast Lane Firebolt after the :28.2 first quarter, and then led the rest of the way through middle splits of :58 and 1:28 en route to the career-best 1:57 triumph. Kootenay Mystic won by two and a quarter lengths over Fast Lane Firebolt while Coming Soon followed five and a half lengths back in third.
The lightly raced daughter of Camystic out of Creative Girl earned her second career win for trainer Kyle Chadwick and local owner/breeder Robert Chadwick.
Campbell also won the following race with the streaking mare Pinepitch Cam ($4.40) for trainer Mike Short and later steered the Richard Lancaster-trained Hosisahos ($3.60) to victory in the ninth race. He then closed out the 12-race card with another win aboard Promising Girl ($4.30), a half-sister to Kootenay Mystic, for conditioner Daniel Gaboury.
The $75,000 final of the Penny Bath Memorial will be held on the meet's closing card next Friday, April 24 along with the matching Keith Linton Memorial for the colts and geldings.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Fraser Downs.