B.C. Set For Breeders Classic Day

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Published: November 8, 2014 08:25 pm EST

With $250,000 in stakes purses up for grabs, the top two and three-year-old pacers in British Columbia will face off on Breeders Classic Day this coming Tuesday, Nov. 11 at Fraser Downs.

The two-year-old fillies will kick off the stakes action in the $50,000 Betty Millbank Memorial Breeders Stakes, scheduled as race two. Winner of three of the first four preliminary legs, Millbanks Writer will start from post five in the final with Serge Masse driving for trainer and co-owner Rod Therres. Fast Lane Elektra, who edged out Millbanks Writer in the last Oct. 30 leg, has the outside post six with Kevin Anderson listed to drive for trainer/owner Darren Lupul, who also sends out maiden Fast Lane Firebolt in the event from post four.

Fresh off two preliminary wins, two-year-old pacing colt Mister Hat will be looking to continue his win streak in the eighth race final for trainer Marjorie Dumont and her husband J.F. Gagne, who is part of the Westerners Stable. Jim Marino is listed to drive the colt from post two.

“Our first B.C. bred is Mister Hat in the $50,000 Robert Millbank Stakes and stands a good chance," said Dumont, who was profiled in The Province this week. "It will be a tough race because of Illwinifican, who almost beat us last time.”

Rick White's homebred three-year-old pacing filly T Squared headlines the $75,000 Mary Murphy Breeders Stakes boasting three preliminary wins and a victory in the Sharon Renkers Memorial. With good gate speed, T Squared looks to be the one to beat in the sixth race with the inside post advantage.

"[Defending champion] Run And Tell is tough, Philly Collins is tough and Rod's mare [Jennys Big Book], she can follow my mare right to wire," said White, assessing his competition in an interview with Jackson Wittup before the post draw.

Fraser Downs' leading trainer and driver Bill Davis will send out defending champion Need You So Bad and Makeing The Mark in the $75,000 Robert Murphy Breeders Stakes for three-year-old colts and geldings, set as race 10. Davis' son Billy is flying in for the Breeders Classic card once again and will drive the streaking Need You So Bad, who has won three preliminary legs and the Tom Burke Memorial. He will start from post four while Davis drives Makeing The Mark, who won back-to-back stakes divisions in September, from post seven.

Davis Jr., who swept the three-year-old finals last year with Therres trainees Allittleforplace and Why We Were Choosen, has picked up a total of five drives on the card while fellow Ontario-based reinsman Doug McNair will also be in town and has been listed on eight mounts, including stakes contenders Go To The Windows and Blissful Angel for trainer Dennis Johnston.

First race post time for the province's richest day in harness racing is 12:45 p.m.

To view Tuesday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Tuesday Entries - Fraser Downs.

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