The fillies took their turn in the spotlight on Friday night as Fraser Downs hosted more B.C. Breeders Stakes divisions, which were contested over a 'good' track surface.
Millbanks Writer ($3.60) kicked off the preliminary legs for the Betty Millbank Memorial Breeders Stake with a maiden-breaking victory in the $7,500 opening stakes event for two-year-old pacing fillies. She followed along in third through fractions of :29.4, 1:00.1 and 1:30 before cutting into Fast Lane Elektra's (Kevin Anderson) four-length lead and nabbing the victory by a head in 2:00.1. Scarlet V (Travis Bowman) finished four lengths behind in third off a pocket trip. Local trainer/driver Rod Therres shares ownership of the Sportswriter-Millbanks Award filly, who was making just her second career start, with Vancouver's Veikko Pajunen.
The close finishes continued in the second round of the Mary Murphy Breeders Stakes for three-year-old fillies as Run And Tell prevailed by a head in a career-best equalling time of 1:57.3 and Philly Collins' won by a neck in a new lifetime mark of 1:58.1, both off perfect pocket trips.
Driven by Kevin Anderson, Run And Tell ($4.40) rallied three-wide into the stretch to defeat first over challenger Killemwithmyawsome (John Chappell) and opening leg winner Go To The Windows (Dennis Johnston), who was on top through intervals of :28.4, 1:00.2 and 1:28.2. The homebred Power Of Art-Muddy Waters filly, who was last year's divisional champion sweeping five legs of the Millbank Memorial and a winner of this year's British Columbia Sires Stakes Final, is trained by Deb McCarthy and owned by Mark Anderson of Willows, California. The career earner of $116,600 now has nine wins in 15 starts.
Early leaver Philly Collins ($10.50) came back on to edge out T Squared (Rick White) with Jennys Big Book (Rod Therres) following over four lengths behind in third. Mark Abbott trains, drives and co-owns the Brandons Cowboy-Sakra Genesis filly with breeder Ken Eng of Vancouver, and Jeffrey and Debbie Elchuk of Surrey, B.C. The fractions were :28.4 to the quarter, 1:00 for the half and 1:29.1 for three-quarters. Unraced as a two-year-old, Philly Collins has won three of her 22 starts this year.
Seven-year-old gelding Rock Allstar won the weekly $10,500 Open Pace in 1:54.1 for the Westridge Stable of Langley, B.C. and Wild Dunes Stables of Delta, B.C. Scott Knight worked out the winning trip aboard the Richard Lancaster trainee. Cantbeatacheetah (Jim Marino) and Western Olympian (Allan Molloy) finished second and third, respectively.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Fraser Downs.