Two-year-old pacing colt Millbanks Bart and three-year-old filly Jet To The Beach were back to their winning ways in the second leg of the B.C. Breeders Stakes on Friday night (October 14) at Fraser Downs.
The second leg of the Robert Millbank Breeders Stakes for two-year-old pacing colts featured a showdown between the first round winners Millbanks Bart and Bakardi Gold, with the former defeating the latter for trainer/driver Rod Therres.
Bakardi Gold, with Nick Roland catch-driving while Jim Marino was away competing in the 2016 National Driving Championship, crossed to command from the outside post seven with Millbanks Bart also leaving from post six for a two-hole trip. Bakardi Gold carved out fractions of :27.1, :57.1 and 1:28.2 before Millbanks Bart launched to the outside and charged by for the one-length victory in 1:59 over the 'good' track. Beer O Clock (Dennis Johnston) followed in third.
Millbanks Bart paid $15 to win as Bakardi Gold was the bettors' choice. The Sportswriter-G Vs Cam Can colt is now undefeated in two career starts for Therres and co-owner Blair Miller of Langley, B.C.
Mach Steady, a runner-up last week in his career debut to Bakardi Gold, broke his maiden in the other $15,000 Robert Millbank division in rein to driver Serge Masse.
The 1-2 favourite established the lead from post four and posted panels of :29, 1:00.2 and 1:30.2 before holding off Ima Dude, with John Chappell catch-driving for NDC winner Brandon Campbell, by half a length in 1:59.2. Chasing The Girls (Dennis Johnston) finished back in third.
Mach Steady paid $3 to win. The Mach Three-Forever Holy colt is owned and bred by Jennifer Dodsworth and trainer Randy Rutledge of Aldergrove, B.C.
Jet To The Beach was a repeat winner in the Mary Murphy Breeders Stakes for three-year-old pacing fillies, holding off fellow first leg winner No Guarantees by a nose in 1:56.4 for trainer/driver Glenn White.
The 4-5 favourite fired to the lead from post six in her $15,000 division and led the field through fractions of :28.1, :59 and 1:28.2 with No Guarantees (Paul Davies) tracking in the pocket. The top two took off down the stretch with No Guarantees nearly catching Jet To The Beach, but coming up just short in the photo finish. Thats Allthatiyam (Travis Bowman) was third.
Jet To The Beach paid $3.60 to win. White shares ownership of the Jeremes Jet-Midnight Jenny filly, who is now six-for-seven in her sophomore campaign, with Mike Morrison of Madeira Park, B.C.
Mysterious Lady, a runner-up to Jet To The Beach in leg one, was the fastest winner of round two with her 1:56.2 performance for trainer/driver Dennis Johnston.
Moving second over after opening panels of :28 and :58.4, Mysterious Lady rushed three-wide to take over the lead on the way to three-quarters in 1:27.2. The 4-5 favourite began to draw away from most of the field with only Bossy (John Hudon) keeping pace to finish second. Yesyoucanhos (Travis Bowman) finished almost 15 lengths behind in third.
Mysterious Lady paid $3.70 to win. Unraced as a two-year-old, she now has two wins from five starts. Johnston co-owns the Mystery Chase-Lady Motion filly with Ray Thomson of Surrey, B.C.
In other action, the J J J Stable's Pillage And Burn earned his second straight victory in the $10,500 Open Pace, hanging on by a head over Illwinifican (Dennis Johnston) in 1:55.3 with Roland aboard for Marino. He paid $7.70 to win. Now Playing (Serge Masse), the slight favourite, finished one length behind in third.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Fraser Downs.