After back-to-back near misses in the Fillies & Mares Open Pace at Fraser Downs, Real Beauty bounced back to get all the marbles in the Sunday afternoon edition
of the class for trainer/driver David McKellar and owner Robert Murphy of Surrey, British Columbia.
McKellar and the five-year-old Camluck miss sprinted to the early lead while feeling pressure from even-money favourite Shark Fest. They went toe-to-toe past the quarter pole in :27.1 before trouble arose for Shark Fest.
She rolled into a break on the way to the mid-way point, and that left Real Beauty all by herself at the half. She was at that juncture in :55.3, and she maintained a big lead past the three-quarter pole in 1:24.4.
A :29.4 final frame is all it took for Real Beauty to seal the deal in a time of 1:54.3. Presbytery closed from far back to claim the runner-up award as a 65-1 outsider and Midnight Diva, who was let go at odds of 29-1, grabbed the show dough.
The victory earned the mare her second trip to the winner’s circle this season in just four attempts. The 20-time winner pushed her lifetime earnings to $293,130 in the process.
The Sunday program also turned out to be a good one for veteran horseman Bill Davis, who enjoyed a training and driving triple on the 11-race program.
Shesabombshell (1:56), Well Matched (1:58.3) and Im Bossy (1:55) helped the newest member of the 5,000-win club inch just a bit closer to the $20 million mark in lifetime earnings. He figures to reach that milestone later this season.
To view Sunday’s results, click here.