Two $8,000 eliminations for the Miss Valentine final were part of Sunday's harness racing card at Fraser Downs, with one winner's pedigree being quite familiar to
Canadian racing fans.
The first division, the fastest of the two, went to Incredible Beauty and trainer-driver Keith Clark by virtue of a gate-to-wire 1:56 score by a half-length over Promisinggoodnews (Jim Marino) and Designer Dreams (Ed Hensley).
Incredible Beauty (Art Major - Precious Beauty), the 2009 winner of the Western Filly Pace at Northlands, is owned by Ceejay Stable (Keith Clark and the estate of Niele Jiwan), Doris McDougall, and Robert Jones of Alberta. Incredible Beauty is a half-sister to O'Brien Award winning two-year-old pacing colt of the year, Sportswriter.
Lil Miss Nyalation and trainer-driver Scott Knight held off a late surge from Sweet Hedge (Serge Masse) to emerge victorious in the second elimination, with a 1:56.2 victory by a neck. Lady And Thetrench (Clark) was less than a length back in third.
It was the first win in B.C. for the homebred of Surrey's Lil Dude Ranch. The Apaches Fame - Armbro Ozone mare had campaigned in Ontario at the ages of 2 and 3 and amassed over $130,000 over two seasons.
On Valentine's Day, one of the lucky four-year-old mares advancing to next week's final from Sunday's eliminations will take home the lion's share of the $25,000 purse.
To view the results from Sunday's card, click here.