Trainer and driver Rick White dominated the third round of the Robert Murphy Breeders Stakes on Sunday at Fraser Downs with three-year-old pacing colts Gotta Have Nukes, who remains undefeated in the preliminary legs, and Austinlavistababy.
Defending B.C. Breeders Stakes champion Gotta Have Nukes went wire-to-wire to win his $7,500 third leg division in 1:54.4 by a neck over the 'good' surface.
After firing to command from the outside post six, the homebred Kents On Nuke-Samantha Square gelding carved out fractions of :27.4, :57.2 and 1:26 before holding off the pocket-pulling Thunder Noise (Clint Warrington Jr.), who shot up the passing lane, for the career-best equalling triumph. First leg winner I Hear Voices (Jim Marino) finished over one length behind in third.
The favourite, a winner in the first two Breeders Stakes legs in August and the B.C. Sales Stakes in September, paid $2.90 to win.
Gotta Have Nukes has won half of his 12 starts as a sophomore for White and co-owner June Kauffman.
Austinlavistababy wore down the popular pacesetter Steve O to win his division in 1:55.4 by half a length.
Steve O (J.F. Gagne) established the lead from post one off the gate and fronted the field through opening panels of :28 and :58 before Austinlavistababy launched his attack from fourth and moved up to challenge the leader as they raced by three-quarters in 1:27.1. Austinlavistababy dug in down the stretch and eventually collared Steve O for the victory. Second leg winner Getmethruthenite (Jim Marino) finished over two lengths behind in third.
Austinlavistababy paid $15.20 for the mild 6-1 upset.
Unraced as a freshman, the Austin Carr-Heart And Style gelding earned his fourth win in 17 starts. He was a runner-up in the first two legs of the Breeders Stakes (separate divisions from his stablemate). Austinlavistababy is owned by Susan Allan and Janet White.
The third round of the Mary Murphy Breeders Stakes was also comprised of a pair of $7,500 divisions for the fillies with Theregoesmyheart and Fast Lane Wealth earning their first wins in the preliminary legs.
Trained and driven by Rod Therres, Theregoesmyheart converted a pocket trip into a narrow 1:56.3 score over pacesetter Cheyenne J.
Cheyenne J (David Hudon) crossed over from post six ahead of insider Theregoemyheart and carved out fractions of :28, :58.1 and 1:27 before being picked off in the final strides. Promising Girl (Mark Abbott) closed up the pasing lane to finish just a half-length back in third.
Theregoesmyheart paid $3.50 to win.
Therres and James Vinelle co-own the Presidential Ball-Artfromtheheart filly, who missed the opening legs while competing in Ontario. The victory was her eighth in 20 starts during her debut season.
Barbara Mills' Fast Lane Wealth also converted off a pocket trip for her 1:57 triumph for driver Serge Masse and trainer Kayla Mills.
Favourite Two Stitches (Jim Marino) set up shop on the front end after leaving from post five and led the way past panels of :28.2, :58.3 and 1:28 with Bush Baby (John Hudon) sweeping three-wide at the third quarter mark before breaking stride. Down the stretch, Fast Lane Wealth powered past the pacesetter to win by one and three-quarter lengths. Slow And Easy (Kevin Anderson) finished third.
Fast Lane Wealth paid $7.50 to win.
The victory was the Swinging Lifestyle-Mjg Saphire filly's third in 18 seasonal starts and followed up a third and sixth-place effort in the previous legs.
In this week's $12,500 Open Pace, Cash Account delivered on his pari-mutuel promise with a 1:54.4 victory over Tax Relief (Brad Watt) and Garden Gate Ll (James Burke). Jim Marino drove the nine-year-old D M Dilinger gelding to his 23rd career win for owner and trainer Heather Sifert.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Fraser Downs.