Sky Sunny and Red Star Fiona went the distance to capture their respective $6,000 Rising Starlet Stake eliminations for three-year-old pacing fillies
that are non-winners of $20,000 lifetime on Friday, Robert Murphy Night, at Fraser Downs. The evening was dedicated to the late Robert Murphy, one of Canada’s most prominent breeders and owners in the history of standardbred racing.
Sky Sunny left from the inside post position in the first elimination and paced past panels of :28.1, :58 and 1:26.4 en route to a career-best victory in 1:55.2 for trainer-driver David Hudon. Sammys Happycamper (Rick White) finished 2-3/4 lengths behind and Garden Gate Gaitor (Gord Abbott) was third.
Sky Sunny paid $4.40 to win for the second time in 12 starts this year. The Cambest-Armbro Sizzle filly, who has banked $10,778 in 2010, is owned by Surrey’s Kelly Hudon and Nigel Holmes.
Also leaving from the rail in her elim, Red Star Fiona and trainer-driver David McKellar grabbed the lead and carved out fractions of :29.2, :59 and 1:27.1 before crossing the wire in a life’s best 1:56.1. Alley Scat (Jim Marino) finished 1-1/2 length behind while Shes Dynamite (David Hudon) came in third.
Red Star Fiona, a daughter of Island Fantasy-Red Star Tipper, returned $5.70 for the win. The bay filly, who went unraced at two, notched her second win in five outings and pushed her earnings to $5,236 for co-owners Donald and Richard Young of Surrey, B.C.
Friday’s $10,000 Open Pace went to California invader At Last, driven by Kevin Anderson, who advanced first up from fourth just past the half and wore down pacesetter Cash Account (Carl Sibiga) in the stretch. A :28.2 final frame propelled the son of Western Ideal-Dinah Classic to victory in 1:52.3, just two-fifths of a second off his lifetime mark. Beach Boy Toy (David Hudon) finished three-quarters of a length behind and Reserve Forces (Scott Knight) rounded out the top three.
Trained by Debra McCarthy and owned by Mark Anderson of Willows, California, At Last paid $6.00 to win as the 2-1 co-favourite. The four-year-old gelding has compiled a record of 7-6-3 in 21 seasonal starts for earnings of $52,604.
McCarthy also sent out Stop Calling (1:53.1) in the fourth race and Thedeadliestcatch (1:54.3) in the 10th race for a perfect three wins on the 13-race card.
To view Friday’s results, click here.