I Will Do It destroyed a long-standing track record as she became the fastest female pacer in Marquis Downs history on Sunday afternoon (May 22).
Owned, trained and driven by Blake Piwniuk, I Will Do It won the $4,200 Fillies & Mares Open Handicap Pace in 1:55.4, defeating the pacesetting Pure Addition, who was coming off back-to-back wins in the top distaff class.
The former 1:57.1 track record for older pacing mares, held by Multiflora Hanover, had stood since October 2010. I Will Do It not only took down that record, she became the co-fastest Standardbred at Marquis Downs as she equalled the all-age track record that was set on Saturday by Gray Zee.
Favourite Pure Addition and Tyler Grundy had led the three-horse field through fractions of :27, :57 and 1:26 before I Will Do It and Piwniuk prevailed from the pocket by three-quarters of a length. Tami Blue and Clayton Braybrook finished 5-1/2 lengths back in third.
I Will Do It, a seven-year-old daughter of Camluck out of the Real Artist mare Artists Flower, also won the May 1 Mares Open with a pair of runner-up finishes in between since joining the Piwniuk stable for the Marquis meet after racing stateside. She now has three wins from 10 starts this season and a dozen victories to her credit lifetime, with earnings totalling $82,541 from 97 starts.
Remaining undefeated at the meet, West Coast Beach dominated a pair of opponents to earn his fourth straight victory in the Open Handicap Pace.
Leading all the way in the $4,200 co-feature, West Coast Beach clocked fractions of :28.3, :58.2 and 1:27.3 in rein to Glenn Le Drew while rebuffing a late challenge from Appoggiatura (Clayton Braybrook), who settled for the runner-up role for the fourth straight week. West Coast Beach hit the wire in a season's best 1:57 flat, finishing ahead of his main rival by 1-1/2 lengths. Tagoras (Darryl Mason) was a distant third after breaking stride in the final quarter.
Robert Smith trains the five-year-old Sunshine Beach gelding for owners Timothy Gordon of Spruce Grove, Alta. and Rebecca Kanak of Saskatoon, Sask. The victory pushed his earnings over $140,000 and marked the 15th time West Coast Beach has finished on top in his career spanning 47 starts.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Marquis Downs.