Three-year-old pacing colts Gotta Have Nukes and Getmethruthenite turned in a pair of career-best winning performances in the second leg of the Robert Murphy B.C. Breeders Stakes contested on Saturday afternoon at Fraser Downs.
Fresh off a victory in last week's opening leg of the Robert Murphy B.C. Breeders Stakes, co-favourite Gotta Have Nukes made it to the winner's circle again in round two for trainer-driver Rick White, who also co-owns with June Kauffman.
Gotta Have Nukes took the lead from post one and carved out fractions of :28, :58 and 1:26, but was collared at the wire by early breaker Procrastinatinpeat (David Hudon), who shot up the passing lane. However, the first-place finisher was set back to fifth for causing interference when he made his miscue. Gotta Have Nukes inherited the 1:54.4 win with the Ty O'Neill-trained I Hear Voices (Serge Masse), his fellow first leg champion and son of Kents On Nuke, moving into second and Steve O (Jim Marino) up to third.
The second $7,500 division went to another Kents On Nuke colt, J J J Stables' Getmethruthenite, giving O'Neill the edge over a pair of White trainees this time around.
Driven by Jim Marino, 6-1 shot Getmethruthenite grabbed the lead off the gate, but gave way to the parked out Thieving Magpie (James Burke) just past the :27.4 opening quarter. Thieving Magpie took a breather to the half in :57 before being overtaken by his stablemate Austinlavistababy (Rick White). The new leader reached the third quarter station in 1:26.1 and carried his one and half length lead into the stretch, but Getmethruthenite unleashed a :28.3 final frame to nab the victory in 1:55.2. Austinlavistababy settled for second one and a half lengths behind with Thieving Magpie following in third.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Fraser Downs.