Sophomore pacers took center stage at Fraser Downs on Saturday night as they went head-to-head in eliminations for the BC Sales Stakes
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Favourite Fast Lane Delila ($3.70) was a gate-to-wire winner in the first of two $7,500 eliminations for fillies. The daughter of Camcracker-Lindwood Delila carved out fractions of :28, :57.4 and 1:27 en route to a 1:56.2 victory by one and a half lengths for trainer-driver Serge Masse, who shares ownership with James Vinnell of Langley, B.C. Red Star Tweedy (David McKellar) was second over pocket-sitter Margarets Spirit (Keith Clark).
The win was Fast Lane Delila's second in 13 starts this season and lifted her earnings to $27,254 for 2010.
The popular Mystic Maiden ($2.10) pushed her win streak to eight in the following elimination for driver David Hudon and trainer Justin Currie. The Camystic-Artfromtheheart filly left from the outside Post 6 and took control past the :28.2 first quarter ahead of Dealingwithhos (Mike Hennessy). Mystic Maiden proceeded to the half in :57.2 and three-quarters in 1:27.1 before stopping the teletimer in 1:56.3. Red Star Dana (Mike Bourgeois) rallied from last to finish second, one and a half lengths behind, and Dealingwithhos was third.
Mystic Maiden, who won all five of her freshmen starts, is now 10-for-11 with $30,650 banked this year for owners Barry MacFarlane of Powell River and Crimson Racing Stable of Langley, B.C.
Even-money favourite Lucky Peterson ($4.00) and driver Kevin Anderson captured the opening elimination for colts and geldings. The Power Of Art-Madam Christie gelding sat third for most of the mile before unleashing a :28.2 final frame to wear down pacesetter Kootenay Mike (David Hudon), who cut fractions of :28, :57.2 and 1:25.1. Lucky Peterson prevailed by one length in 1:53.4 with Kootenay Mike second and pocket-sitter Dontmakemebeg (Ed Hensley) third.
Debbie McCarthy trains Lucky Peterson, a winner of seven races in 11 starts and $14,310 this year, for owner and breeder Mark Anderson of Willows, California.
Nobody Can ($5.70), the 3-2 second choice in the second colt elim, left from the inside post position and showed the way through fractions of :28.2, :58.2 and 1:29.2 before hitting the wire in 1:59.2. Favourite Red Star Vickers (Keith Clark) finished one and a quarter length behind off a pocket trip and Red Star Zoro (Mike Bourgeois) journeyed first over to show.
Jim Marino did the driving for trainer Ed Hensley, the J J J Stables of Aldergrove, B.C. and Alan Anderson of Willows, California. The homebred son of Kents On Nuke-Battalia Hanover has won three of his nine starts this season and sports a 2010 bankroll totaling $59,895.
Saturday's $10,000 Fillies & Mares Open Pace went to wire-to-wire winner Lickcreek Jazzy ($3.40) and trainer-driver Ed Hensley, who also co-owns with the J J J Stables. The six-year-old Hi Ho Silverheels-Lick Creek Rosa mare won by a length in 1:54.1 with Rossridge Fortune (Keith Clark) following in second and Second Fancy (Don Monkman Jr.) coming on for third. She notched her sixth win in 22 starts and bumped her earnings to $92,960 for 2010.
Hensley also won the ninth race with Riverlea Hanover (1:55.4) to record a training triple on the 11-race program and steered the Cassandra Uppal-trained Red Star Brooklyn (1:57.1) to victory one race prior for the driving grand slam.
To view Saturday's results, click here.