Driver Jim Marino, trainer Ed Hensley and owner-breeders J J J Stables of Aldergrove, BC and Alan Anderson of Willows, California teamed up to sweep the $75,000 BC Stallion Stake Finals for three-year-olds Friday night at Fraser Downs
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In the stake final for sophomore fillies, Been Down Before rallied from off the pace for an 8-1 upset.
Margarets Spirit (Serge Masse) got off to a good start from the rail with Fast Lane Delila (Rod Therres) tucking into the two-hole in front of Been Down Before and Jim Marino. The field settled into single file alignment following Margarets Spirit past the first quarter in :27.1 and the half in :56.4.
Taking her shot at the pacesetter, Stormy Tuesday (Kevin Anderson) advanced from fourth and poked a head in front at the 1:25.2 three-quarters mark. She then took off establishing a 2-1/2 length lead on the field but Been Down Before reeled her in using a :29.4 final quarter. The daughter of Kents On Nuke-Rolling Acres Rose stopped the clock in a career-best 1:55.4, one length ahead of Stormy Tuesday. Fast Lane Delila rounded out the top three.
Been Down Before returned $18.40 to win as 8-1 fifth choice. With the victory, the bay filly improved her seasonal record to 3-2-1 in seven outings and bumped her earnings to $47,060.
Marino worked out a similar trip in the following stake final, dubbed the Pat Brennan Memorial, for colts and geldings with Nobody Can, a runner-up in his elimination to Kootenay Mike.
In an attempt to extend his win streak to four, Kootenay Mike (David Hudon) sped off the gate from Post 1 and put up panels of :26.3, :54.4 and 1:23.1 with Dontmakemebeg (Ed Hensley) and The Sandown Plate winner Nobody Can following in a three-horse breakaway. At the third quarter mark, Marino made his move and Nobody Can charged home in :29.1 to win by a length over Kootenay Mike in a life’s-best clocking of 1:53 flat. Dontmakemebeg finished third.
Nobody Can paid $12.90 to win as the 5-1 third choice.
When asked if he was concerned at all about his position after the quick early fractions in a post-race interview, Marino explained his race strategy.
“Once again I was sitting in the three-hole and just like last time I waited to make my move at the three-quarter pole. I did and luckily it worked out," said the winner of four races on the 12-race program.
“I have to congratulate all the help at the Ed Hensley stable for doing such a great job with these horses,” he added.
In six starts this year, Nobody Can, a son of Kents On Nuke-Battalia Hanover, has recorded two victories and three seconds earning $55,625.
Trained by Debra McCarthy and driven by Kevin Anderson, last year’s Pat Brennan Memorial winner Stop Calling went the distance in the $22,500 BC Stallion Stake Final for four-year-old horses and geldings.
The Kents On Nuke-Plain Image N gelding, who was bred by the J J J Stables and Alan Anderson along with owner Mark Anderson, left from Post 5 and carved out stations of :27.1, :56.4 and 1:24.4 before kicking away by 4-1/2 lengths for a new lifetime mark of 1:53.1. The pocket-sitting Red Star Renegade (Scott Knight) finished second while Ronnie Rickles (David McKellar) rallied off cover to show.
Sent postward as the 1-2 favourite, Stop Calling returned $3.00 for his third win in five 2010 outings. The lion’s share of the purse gives him a total of $15,210 in earnings on the year.
Run Way Star also used a front-end trip to deliver on her pari-mutuel promise in the matching stake final for four-year-old mares.
Trainer-driver David Hudon and the daughter of Camcracker-All Spruced Up left from Post 1 and set the tempo with fractions of :26.3, :56 and 1:24.4 while Austins Minnie (Ed Hensley) advanced first over. Those two put on an exciting show in the stretch drive, but it was Run Way Star who prevailed by a half-length in 1:55.3. Id Rather Be Lucky (Serge Masse) finished third.
Run Way Star paid $3.30 to win as the 3-5 choice. Vancouver’s Bill Boden owns the winner of three races in 13 seasonal starts and $22,028.
To view Friday's results, click here.