Makeing The Mark was a repeat winner in the B.C. Breeders Stakes on Thursday night as Fraser Downs hosted preliminary legs for the two and three-year-old pacing colts and geldings.
The two-year-olds opened the card in the $7,500 first leg of the Robert Millbank Memorial Breeders Stakes. Illwinifican ($5.60) left from post seven and went wire-to-wire, prevailing by three-quarters of a length over the popular pocket-sitter Mister Hat (Jim Marino). He carved out fractions of :28.2, :59.2 and 1:29.4 en route to the 1:59.2 triumph over a 'good' track and is now undefeated in two lifetime starts. Trainer/driver Dennis Johnston co-owns the Allamerican Native-Builttowin Hanover colt with Ray Thomson of Surrey, B.C. Third place finisher Its My Birthday (John Abbott) trailed eight lengths behind.
A pair of $7,500 second leg divisions of the Robert Murphy Memorial Breeders Stakes for three-year-olds were contested later on the card. Makeing The Mark ($10.90) earned back-to-back stakes wins and took a new lifetime mark of 1:55.3. Trained and driven by Bill Davis, the post eight starter worked his way to the lead off the gate and cleared past the :28.3 opening quarter. Favourite Lisplaced (Rod Therres) then swept by after getting away third and reached the half in :57.4 and three-quarters in 1:26.2. He rebuffed the wide-rallying Whiteliesnpromises (Paul Davies), but Makeing The Mark closed along the inside lane and took over down the stretch for the one and a quarter length victory. The homebred Camystic-Shesaquestionmark colt, who is now two-for-five in his debut season, is owned by Evert Vandenborn of Langley, B.C. Lisplaced stayed for second and early leader Hosisahos (David McKellar) came in third.
Third, beaten by a neck in the opening leg division won by Makeing The Mark, Premium Stock ($6.70) was a neck winner this time out, holding off 107-1 longshot Cold Finger (Allan Molloy) in 1:56.3 for trainer/driver Jim Marino. The fractions were :27.1 to the first quarter, :57.3 at the half and 1:25.4 for three-quarters. Favourite Need You So Bad (Bill Davis) finished one and a half lengths behind in third. Premium Stock, a gelded son of Blissfull Hall out of Follow Your Rosa, is owned by Marino and partner Cameron Gardner of Cloverdale, B.C. Also unraced as a two-year-old, Premium Stock had hit the boardmin all nine of his starts, including five winning performances.
To view Thursday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Thursday Results - Fraser Downs.