One week after winning five races at Fraser Downs, trainer Jim Marino had his stable dominating the proceedings once again during the 10-race card on Thursday, Nov. 21.
Fraser's Thursday card featured two $15,000 second leg divisions of the Mary Murphy B.C. Breeders Stakes for three-year-old pacing fillies, and two $15,000 second leg of Robert Murphy B.C. Breeders Stakes for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings. Last week, Marino swept those divisions. This week, he shared the wealth by only winning half of them.
Over Ice ($2.20) delivered on her 1-9 promise, going wire-to-wire to win the first Mary Murphy division in a time of 1:55.2. Phil Giesbrecht engineered the winning effort for Over Ice, a winner by nearly two lengths over Vintage Lass (Kelly Hoerdt) and Catchmegracefully (Glenn White).
A daughter of Custard The Dragon - Arm In Arm, Over Ice notched her fourth win of the season and ninth lifetime. Marino trains Over Ice — a half-sister to Thursday night's Flamboro Preferred Pace winner Shoot The Whiskey — for owner-breeder J J J Stables of Prince George, B.C. The brown filly lifted her bankroll to $182,313 in the process, and will likely garner much of the public support in next week's $100,000 final.
Longshot Cheyenna Acero J ($42.70) and driver Kelly employed ground-saving tactics in the second Mary Murphy division, scooting up the passing lane late to pick off favoured Senorita Draco (Giesbrecht) in a 1:56 decision. Senorita Draco was a neck back in second, with Martini Please (Rod Therres) just a half length off the leader to nab show honours.
The time of the mile is a new lifetime mark for Cheyanna Acero J, a daughter of Chucaro Acero BC - Cheyenne J trained by Marg White for owner-breeder Bryant Hibbs of Surrey, B.C. With her third lifetime win, Cheyanna Acero J sports $21,505 in earnings.
Marino added another stakes score with Wannabeabigstar ($3.10; pictured above) who, like stablemate Over Ice, was a repeat winner in BC Bred Stakes action for driver Giesbrecht. Leaving from post six, Wannabeabigstar pressed on to clear early leader Nothing Bugs Me (Therres) in front of the grandstand and then pull away confidently from his Robert Murphy foes the next time around. The brown gelding won by 3-1/2 lengths over Nothing Bugs Me and Thereallkents (David Hudon) in 1:54, pacing back to his lifetime mark.
Wannabeabigstar (Shadow Play - Greek Beach) is owned by Marino along with J J J Stables and Paul Sanders of Surrey. The five-time winner sports a bankroll nearly $40,000 accrued.
Nothininmoderation ($26.80) picked a good time to snap a winless streak, finding the wire first for the first time since late April in the second $15,000 Robert Murphy Memorial. After sitting the pocket behind pacesetter Buddy Knocks (Scott Knight), Nothininmoderation and trainer-driver picked off the leader in the final strides of a 1:54.2 mile to win by a neck. Key Dragon (Hoerdt) finished fourth, but was placed third after Outlawstaythcourse was set back for causing interference to Phone Nine One One at the three-quarter mark.
John Carey, James Williams and William Howard of Surrey and Ross Rees of Burnaby, B.C. own Nothininmoderation, a gelded son of Custard The Dragon - Mrs Bailey with five lifetime wins and $38,070 in earnings.
The $100,000 Robert Murphy Memorial will share the spotlight with the Mary Murphy Final next Thursday, Nov. 28 at Fraser Downs.
Marino's hat trick was a natural one on Thursday night, with Over Ice and Wannabeabigstar providing the bookend victories and Betterthanluck (1:59.1; $2.20) connecting in between for Giesbrecht.
Two weeks ago, we indicated that Grey Sea might have been overlooked in the Fillies & Mares Preferred Pace. This week, that wasn't the case as she was sent off at 3-5 odds. And just like she's done in her last two appearances in that class, she teamed with driver John Abbott for a wire-to-wire win. This tally came in 1:53.2, matching her seasonal best, besting Ima Beach Diva (Hoerdt) by 1-1/4 lengths. Arrhythmic Dream (Giesbrecht) completed the top trio.
Five-year-old Grey Sea (Custard The Dragon - Preference) is trained by Gord Abbott for breeder/owner Seaspray Stables Ltd. of Nanaimo, B.C. That win marked the 22nd of her solid career, with earnings just shy of $175,000 lifetime.
For the results from Thursday's card of harness racing in British Columbia, click the following link: Thursday Results - Fraser Downs.
(Standardbred Canada)