Trainers Bill Davis and Debra McCarthy each scored a pair of victories in the first leg of the Robert and Betty Millbank Breeders Stakes for two-year-old pacers on Friday evening at Fraser Downs.
First-time starter Bettors Mark won the first $15,000 colt division for Davis, overcoming the outside post seven as he made the lead at the first quarter mark and then rebuffed challenger Whatkindofchance en route to the 1:56.4 triumph. Tito Santanna closed for second and finished two lengths behind the winner while Imrunninonsunshine was third. The winning homebred Bettors Delight-Shesaquestionmark colt is owned by Evert Vandenborn of Langley, B.C.
The McCarthy-trained colt One Big Cat went wire-to-wire in the second division, holding off Credit Risk by half a length in 1:59.3. Fire Of The Dragon followed two lengths back in third off a pocket trip. Brandon Campbell drove the son of American Ideal-Cats Meow to his second consecutive win for the J J J Stables of Prince George, B.C.
No Guarantees romped to a four and a quarter length victory in the first filly split for McCarthy and the J J J Stables. Jim Marino was in the driver's seat as the daughter of Shadow Play-Michelles Fury scored her second straight victory in 1:58.3 over Pinkmakesboyswink and Yesyoucanhos.
After giving way to Mach And Roll Baby in front of the grandstand, Hanalei Bay and Davis waited for the passing lane and defeated that foe by a neck in a career-best 1:56.3 mile. Charabby finished one and three-quarter lengths behind in third. Owned and bred by Jeffrey and Debbie Elchuk of Surrey, B.C. and Vancouver's Ken Eng, the Shadow Play-Lucky Jenny filly started her career in Ontario before making her B.C. debut on Friday a winning one. She now has two victories from six starts.
Davis' successful night continued as he racked up three more victories on the 12-race card. Davis' Just Hank won the $4,500 claiming class in 1:54.2, Garden Gate Ll prevailed in 1:52.4 in a $7,500 claiming race, and track record holder Sterling Cooper, co-owned by Elchuk, was a dominant 1:51.1 victor in the $10,500 Open. Stirling Cooper had ended the previous Fraser Downs meet with four straight Open wins, and after the competing in New York, Pennsylvania and Ontario throughout the summer, he returned to his winning ways in his first start back in B.C.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Fraser Downs.