Gramrun Jake was an easy wire-to-wire winner in the fastest of two $5,000 BC Sales Stake eliminations for three-year-old pacing colts on Saturday afternoon at Fraser Downs
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Gramrun Jake and driver Tim Brown left alertly from Post 3 in the second colt elimination and led the five-horse field through fractions of :29.2, :59 and 1:27.3 en route to the 1:55.4 triumph. Just Ryan (Darren Howald) followed two lengths behind and Crown Isle (Mike Short) was third. Midnite In La (Scott Knight) and Red Star Chuckles (Grant Hollingswort) rounded out the field.
The overwhelming 1-5 favourite paid $2.60 to win. Dan Ingram trains and owns the son of Camcracker-Roxette Hanover, who was a BC Sales Stakes runner-up to Just Ryan last year. The win was his third in 13 starts this year and pushed his earnings to $15,778 for 2011 and $44,832 lifetime.
One race prior, early trailer Cantbeatacheetah stormed home to win his colt elimination for trainer-driver David Hudon.
Stepuptotheplate (Richard Lancaster) fired to command from Post 4 and led the way past fractions of :28.4, :59.2 and 1:28.2. The five-horse field remained in single file alignment until they headed down the backstretch and Remain Silent (Carl Sibiga) moved underway from third with trailer Cantbeatacheetah picking up the cover. As the field rounded the final turn, Cantbeatacheetah angled three-wide and sprinted home in :29.1 to win by one length in 1:58 flat. Pocket-sitter Red Star Cashflow (Glenn White) shot up the passing lane for second. Remain Silent edged out Stepuptotheplate for third with Branding Party (Serge Masse) rounding out the field in fifth.
Cantbeatacheetah paid $6.70 to win as the 2-1 second choice. The gelded son of Warrawee Hero-Red Star Madeline, who shaved one-fifth of a second off his lifetime mark, is owned and bred by Shelley Eng of Merritt, B.C. Unraced as a two-year-old, the win was his third in 11 starts and pushed his earnings to $18,378.
Glamour Puss and Anjelles Aura each won their $5,000 filly eliminations Saturday in upset fashion.
Glamour Puss and driver Mike Bourgeois waited patiently in third place while heavy 1-9 favourite Just Fiction (Jim Marino) set the tempo with fractions of :28.3, :58.3 and 1:27. After the half, Glamour Puss launched her attack and wore down the leader in the stretch for a 13-1 upset. The Kents On Nuke-Princess Jessica filly stopped the clock in 1:57 flat, a new lifetime mark, with last year's BC Sales Stake winner Just Fiction one and three-quarter lengths behind in second. Pureform Venus (Carl Sibiga) and Fancy Ideal (John Abbott) finished over six lengths back in third and fourth while Viola (Glenn White) was a distant fifth.
Glamour Puss paid $29.80 for the upset. Donna Cunningham trains and co-owns the winning filly with Ermon McLaughlin of Langley, B.C. Glamour Puss only made one start as a two-year-old and is two-for-three this year with $4,500 earned.
Leaving from the inside post position in the next filly elimination, Anjelles Aura took control of the six-horse field forcing a steppy Red Star Hannah (Tim Brown) to take back. Anjelles Aura led the way past early fractions of :27.4 and :57.2 before coming under attack. Favourite Red Star Hannah advanced first over from third at the rail down the backstretch and went head-to-head with the front-stepper at the 1:27.1 third quarter station. However, Anjelles Aura rebuffed that challenger, who got rough-gaited again, and drew away down the stretch. She then held off the pocket-pulling Millbanks Ariel (Rick White) in deep stretch for the narrow win in 1:57.2. Pureform Athena (Carl Sibiga) finished third with Red Star Hannah well back in fourth. Cristina Lake (Jim Marino) earned the final paycheque and Guaranteed Tough (Mike Bourgeois) rounded out the field.
Anjelles Aura paid $15.90 to win as the 6-1 co-second choice. The Jennas Beach Boy-Heavenly Aura miss, who made her season's debut today, is trained by Brett Currie for owner Barry MacFarlane of Powell River, B.C. She won one of nine races as a two-year-old and earned $12,426. Her lifetime earnings stand at $14,926.
The $25,000 BC Sales Stake finals will take place next weekend at Fraser Downs.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Fraser Downs.