It was a perfect ending to B.C. Breeders Classic Night on Friday (November 6) at Fraser Downs with the Jim Marino-trained three-year-old pacer Major Custard landing in the winner's circle.
Major Custard, undefeated in 13 seasonal starts, concluded the $300,000 stakes quartet, which began with another Marino trainee in the spotlight.
Kicking off the action, Custard Smoothie and If Only Id Known completed a 1-2 finish for trainer Jim Marino in the $75,000 Betty Millbank Memorial Stakes final for two-year-old pacing fillies.
Fresh off her track record-setting victory in the third preliminary leg, Custard Smoothie took the lead from stablemate If Only Id Known (Brandon Campbell) during a :28.4 first quarter and never looked back.
With Doug McNair picking up the catch-drive in his return trip to Fraser Downs for Breeders Classic Night, the Custard The Dragon-Artists Rendition filly was rated through middle splits of 1:00 and 1:29.2 en route to victory in 1:58.1. If Only Id Known followed three-quarters of a length behind in second-place and Dollydaydream (Tony Kerwood) finished 2-1/2 lengths back in third.
Marino co-owns the winner, who returned $2.90 as the 2-5 favourite, with J J J Stables of Prince George, B.C.
Custard Smoothie has finished no worse than second, with five wins (including Alberta stakes), in her first nine career starts while earning $90,000 in purses.
Taking off in a two-horse breakaway down the stretch, Kootenay Santanna defeated the favoured Loaded Dragon in the matching Robert Millbank Memorial Stakes final for freshman colts.
Kelly Hoerdt guided the homebred Santanna Blue Chip-Kootenay Mystic gelding to victory for local owner Robert Chadwick and trainer Kyle Chadwick.
Eventual third-place finisher Sam The Cat (Brandon Campbell) protected his pylon position early on, pocketing Rapido Dom (Garry Schedlosky) as the starting gate sped away and posting a quick :27.2 opening quarter.
After a brief tuck in third ahead of Kootenay Santanna, Loaded Dragon (Rod Therres) swept to command and reached the half in :56.3. The 3-5 favourite continued to lead the way to three-quarters in 1:25.4 while Kootenay Santanna took aim.
Those two took off heading for home with Kootenay Santanna getting the best of his rival late to score the one-length victory in 1:55.2. Making his fifth career start, the bay gelding equalled his mark and now boasts three wins to go along with a pair of second-place finishes.
Kootenay Santanna returned $7.30 to win as the 5-2 second choice.
Rod Therres' three-year-old pacing filly Probert completed a sweep of the Mary Murphy Memorial Stakes with a 1:52.3 track record performance in the $75,000 final.
Therres secured a perfect pocket trip for the 3-5 favourite behind Rockin With Lou (John Chappell), who fired across the track from the far outside to lead the field of nine through fractions of :27.2, :57 and 1:25.
Probert tipped out just past the three-quarter pole and confronted Rockin With Lou as they raced into the stretch before pulling clear to score by 2-1/4 lengths. Third prize went to Moosette (Brandon Campbell), who started her advance from mid-pack at the half-mile mark.
The defending B.C. Breeders Stakes filly champion, who went undefeated in her seven-race rookie season, has earned six wins in 11 starts this year to boost her bankroll to $185,940.
Probert, a daughter of Dali out of Outlawcherishafool, paid $3.60 to win.
She lowered Iola M's three-year-old pacing filly track record by two-fifths of a second.
Undefeated in his sophomore campaign, Major Custard asserted his divisional dominance once again in the $75,000 final of the Robert Murphy Memorial for pacing colts, giving trainer Jim Marino and co-owner J J J Stables another B.C. Breeders Stakes title on the night.
Making a quarter-pole move from the two-hole in rein to Brandon Campbell, Major Custard swept to command and led the field past the half in :57.2 and three-quarters in 1:24.2. The Custard The Dragon-Chemistry Major gelding had already begun to draw away from his competition at that point and cruised home with ease for the 4-1/2-length triumph in a career-best 1:52.1.
After tipping first-up from fourth, Outlaw C My Shadow (Connie Kolthammer) won the race for place, edging out early leader Strateontilemorning (Doug McNair) and West Coast Beach (Rod Therres), who was forwardly-placed after leaving from the trailing tier.
Sent postward as the 2-5 favourite, Major Custard paid $2.80 to win.
After dominating the Alberta Sires Stakes this season, Major Custard returned to B.C. to claim his second B.C. Breeders Stakes title. Perfect in 13 starts this year, he now boasts a career record reading 18-2-0 from 20 starts with earnings totalling $268,195.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Fraser Downs.
Congratulations to Major
Congratulations to Major Custard, who is the only 3YO of any sex or gait that has raced at least 13 times in 2020 and is still undefeated.