Two-year-old pacing colts returned to Fraser Downs for the second round of the Robert Millbank Breeders Stakes on Saturday while the three-year-old colts faced off in a pair of B.C. Sales Stakes.
Kents On Nuke sophomore geldings swept both B.C. Sales Stakes divisions in wire-to-wire fashion.
Kicking off the card with a stakes victory was Ty O'Neill trainee Getmethruthenite and driver Jim Marino, who led the field through fractions of :29.1, :58.4, and 1:27 before hitting the wire in 1:55.4 with more than two lengths to spare. Steve O (J.F. Gagne) and Hector Protector (Glenn White) came on for second and third.
Getmethruthenite notched his second win in 10 starts this year for owner and co-breeder J J J Stables of Aldergrove, B.C. His other win came in a division of the Robert Murphy Breeders Stakes at the end of August.
Trainer-driver Rick White guided post three starter Gotta Have Nukes through panels of :28.3, :58.2, and 1:26.2 in the following division before stopping the teletimer in 1:55.1. I Hear Voices (Serge Masse) finished two lengths behind the popular winner with Procrastinatinpeat (Dave Hudon) right there in third.
White also shares ownership of the homebred with June Kauffman of Woodinville, Washington. Gotta Have Nukes, winner of two Breeders Stakes divisions, notched his fourth victory of the season in nine starts.
Favourites Now Playing and Hesouttamyleague also delivered a pair of front end victories in the Breeders Stakes.
Driver J.F. Gagne put first-time starter Now Playing on the lead from post two in the first Breeders division and the Usher Hanover gelding carved out fractions of :28.4, 1:00.2, and 1:30.2 en route to a 2:00 victory. One Last Shot (Kevin Anderson) followed one length behind off a pocket trip and D On Sanders (Rod Therres) edged out first leg winner Westridge Warrior (Jim Marino) for third.
Michael Bourgeois trains the bay gelding for owner Charles Merritt of Langley, B.C.
Hesouttamyleague also established the lead from post two in his division and cruised through panels of :27.3, :58.4, and 1:28 en route to victory in 1:57.2. Kootenay Positive (J.F. Gagne) finished over two lengths behind in second while Ideal Art (Gord Abbott) came on for third.
The Power Of Art gelding, who missed by just a neck to Kootenay Positive in his career debut during last weekend's opening round, is trained by Debra McCarthy for owner Mark Anderson of Willows, California.
This week's $12,500 Open Pace went to Village Janus in 1:53.4. Serge Masse sent the four-year-old Modern Art mare to the lead from fourth past the midway point and held off Sir Arthur (Jim Marino) to deliver on her pari-mutuel promise. Trainer Rod Therres co-owns Village Janus, who is six-for-12 on the year, with Vancouver resident Veikko Pajunen.
Horseman Scott Knight enjoyed a Saturday night trainer-driving triple with Lilshakerboomboom ($11.20), Rustlers Maiden ($22.40), and Iamarichcamto ($4.10) turning in winning performances.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Fraser Downs.