Trained and driven by Jim Marino, two-year-old pacing colts Rockin N Talkin and Bettor Cat have remained undefeated through the first three legs of the Robert Millbank Memorial Breeders Stakes.
Rockin N Talkin prevailed in a photo finish in the first of two $15,000 third leg divisions while stopping the clock in a career-best time of 1:55.1 on Friday night at Fraser Downs.
Rockin N Talkin, the 6-5 favourite from the outside post six, slide into an early four-hole for opening panels of :27.3 and :58.4 before overtaking the leading Major Winker (David Hudon) on the way to three-quarters in 1:26.3. Major Winker launched back out down the stretch, but the Custard The Dragon son Rockin N Talkin found the wire just in the nick of time. Mc Twisted (Glenn White) finished third.
Bettor Cat carried Marino right back to the winner's circle after posting a 4-3/4 length victory as the 1-2 favourite in the second division.
After Kootenay Mystery (Dennis Johnston) crossed to command from post six through a :27.3 opening quarter, inside starter Bettor Cat looped back to the lead and the son of Bettors Delight carved out middle splits of :58.1 and 1:28.1 en route to the 1:55.4 victory. Kootenay Mystery followed in second and Living Large (John Abbott) rounded out the top three finish order.
Both colts are owned by Marino in partnership with J J J Stables, which also bred Bettor Cat.
The third leg of the Mary Murphy Breeders Stakes for three-year-old pacing fillies was also contested on Friday with reigning divisional champion Scardy Cat earning her first win of this sophomore series to give J J J Stables another stakes score on the card.
Paul Davies drove the Sportswriter filly, who left hard from the outside post six. Hustling to the lead, the Debra McCarthy-trained Scardy Cat set fractions of :27.1, :56.3 and 1:24.2 before holding off 1-2 favourite Nice Aint My Color (Serge Masse) by three-quarters of a length in 1:53.3. Hurried Romance (Rod Therres) finished a close third.
Scratched sick from the second round, opening leg winner Custard Lite returned to her winning ways for driver Preston Shaw and trainer Gord Abbott.
Custard Lite advanced first-over from fifth as Ynothos (Serge Masse) led through first-half fractions of :26.4 and :57.4. Those two raced head-to-head past three-quarters in 1:26 with Custard Lite pulling away in the stretch to win by 2-1/2 lengths in a new lifetime mark of 1:54.4. Glimpseofgoodness (David Hudon) and 7-5 favourite Marilyn (David Anderson) came on for second and third.
The Custard The Dragon filly is owned by Lorne Duffield and Rod Hennessy.
In Open action, outside assignee Tahiti Seelster defeated the distaffers for the third straight time this meet with Serge Masse aboard for trainer Nelson Craig and co-owner Richard Craig. The five-year-old Up The Credit mare came within one-fifth of a second of her 1:53 lifetime mark taken this past spring.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Fraser Downs.