Two-year-old pacing fillies Been Down Before and Fast Lane Delila captured their respective BC Stallion Stake first leg divisions featured on a special non-wagering card Friday at Fraser Downs while the regular card of racing was marred by an accident in the ninth race
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With trainer/driver Ed Hensley in the bike for owners and breeders J J J Stables of Aldergrove, B.C. and Alan Anderson of Willows, California, Been Down Before opted for a pocket trip in the first $10,000 stake division. The Kents On Nuke-Rolling Acres Rose filly followed Margarets Spirit (Serge Masse) through panels of :29, :59.4 and 1:29.2 before unleashing a :29.4 final quarter to claim her first victory in four starts in 1:59.2 over a sloppy track by five and a quarter lengths. Margarets Spirit stayed for second despite enduring broken equipment and Red Star Penny (Mike Bourgeois) rounded out the top three.
Fast Lane Delila is now five-for-six in her freshman campaign thanks to a wire-to-wire score in the second split. Trainer, driver and co-owner Rod Therres rated the daughter of Camcracker-Lindwood Delila through fractions of :29, 1:00.3 and 1:29.4 before she matched Been Down Before’s winning time of 1:59.2. Red Star Dana (Scott Knight) journeyed first-over to finish one and three-quarter lengths behind in second over the pocket-sitting Shes With Me (Ed Hensley). Charles Macfarlane of Victoria, B.C. shares ownership of Fast Lane Delila, who lifted her earnings to $19,500.
In regular racing action, Lil Dude Ranch’s Lil Dude Starrbuck earned his second straight win in the $12,000 Open Pace after converting from the pocket in the stretch. The Threefold-Almahurst Irish eight-year-old kicked home in :28.1 to prevail by a neck over pacesetter Just Plug It In (Ed Hensley) in 1:52.1. Almost No More Bs (David McKellar) finished over three lengths back in third.
Lil Dude Starrbuck, who is trained and driven by Scott Knight, has won five times in 22 starts this year good for $62,130. The winner of 32 races lifetime has amassed $513,884 in purses.
Friday's card didn't end quite as expected when a two-horse accident occured in the finale.
Racing in fifth Red Star Petunia, with David McKellar in the bike, made a break and fell near the three-quarters mark taking out a trailing Austinsfirstpeace and James Jungquist. Immunity (John Abbott) and Crackers And Surf (Rick White) were also interfered with, but both horses managed to stay on their feet. Immunity was pulled up while Crackers And Surf finished the race 18 lengths behind.
Both fallen horses did walk off the track under their own power as did both unseated drivers, McKellar and Jungquist, although early reports indicate Jungquist sustained minor injuries.
To view Friday’s harness racing results from the non-wagering card, click here. For results from Friday’s regular nine-race program, click here.