Several of the top horses on the grounds at Fraser Downs were put through their paces during qualifying races the past two weeks and are ready for the 'real deal' with the opening of the 2009-2010 season this coming Friday and
Saturday night.
The first of 107 live racing dates goes Friday at 7:30 p.m. with a full card of 12 races.
“We are approaching this season with guarded optimism,” said Fraser Downs general manager Chuck Keeling. “With the significant purse increase, we are expecting some great racing from the local stables complemented by the variety of trainers and owners from Alberta and parts of the U.S. shipping in for the season.”
Director of racing Jackson Wittup echoes Keeling’s buoyant outlook when he adds: “Everyone’s happy to be back working and with our purses averaging $65,000 per card plus stakes races, we’re into the new season on a high note.”
Keeling says that one of the most important strategic changes this season is the movement of all Saturday afternoon cards to Saturday evenings, all with 7:30 p.m. starts.
“Our experience in recent years is that a younger, more entertainment-oriented demographic is better attracted to our evening events and that’s the market we are trying to speak to,” Keeling said. “The entertainment package and product that Fraser Downs presents is a lot of fun and people are discovering what lies in store with an evening at our facility.”
Several special dates have been set aside this season to accommodate private groups and community gatherings. With free parking, free admission and promotional bonus packages available, Fraser Downs is encouraging its neighbours in Langley, Surrey, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, White Rock, Abbotsford and Delta to take advantage of several available promotional programs.
The new schedule includes 41 Saturday nights, 40 Friday nights, 22 Sunday afternoons (1:15 p.m.), three Thursday nights and the traditional Remembrance Day matinee on Wednesday, November 11 with the Breeders’ Classic, an annual showcase of the best BC standardbreds in racing.
Other highlights include the Clash of the Pacific on Friday, October 16, an open race that frequently draws the best harness horses in western Canada, as well up and down the I-5. The Princess of the Pacific goes on Saturday, March 13, 2010, testing the best females in the region.
The drivers' colony at Fraser Downs this year will include familiar and popular names such as Jim Marino, Scott Knight, Serge Masse, Dave Hudon, Jim Burke and Dave McKellar. Some of the more notable driving personalities from Alberta who have set up shop at Fraser are Keith Clark, inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame this past August, Don Monkman, Jr., Gerry Hudon, Jamie Gray, Jeff Stone and Warren Grant.
“It’s quite a talented lineup,” said Wittup. “We’re all anxious to get going.”
All that remains now is Friday night’s official start to the new season when track announcer Rick Uppal says in his trademark delivery: “Off and Pacing!”
Click here to view Friday night's harness racing entries at Fraser Downs.
To view the Saturday night entries, click here.
(With files from Fraser Downs)
What purse increase? They
What purse increase? They are where last season left off!! The increases are downtown...hardly fair to the standardbred industry