Gotta Have Nukes delivered on his pari-mutuel promise in the $50,000 B.C. Sales Stakes Final for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings while Two Stitches pulled off a 19-1 shocker in the co-featured filly final on Saturday night at Fraser Downs.
Fresh off a victory in his elimination last week, Gotta Have Nukes and trainer-driver Rick White grabbed the lead with the inside post advantage in the colt final. They let stablemate Hector Protector (Glenn White) clear after the :27.1 opening quarter and then re-took the top spot in front of the grandstand. Gotta Have Nukes led the field to the half in :56.1 before facing first over pressure from Getmethruthenite (Jim Marino) to the 1:25 third quarter mark. He shrugged off that foe around the turn though and held off Steve O (J.F. Gagne) to win by a neck in 1:55. I Hear Voices (Serge Masse) came on for third.
Gotta Have Nukes paid $2.20 to win as part of the popular four-horse entry. Surrey, B.C. conditioner White also co-owns the homebred Kents On Nuke-Samantha Square gelding with June Kauffman of Woodinville, Washington. Gotta Have Nukes has won all four of his starts during the current Fraser Downs meet, including two opening legs of the Robert Murphy Breeders Stakes.
Two Stitches and trainer-driver Jim Marino pulled off the shocker in the matching filly final when they rallied home off cover to win as the longest shot on the board.
Favourite Mach Maiden Heaven (Scott Knight) cleared to command after the :28-second opening quarter and was pressured by Cheyenne J (David Hudon) through middle splits of :58.2 and 1:26.2. Mach Maiden Heaven turned back the first over filly into the stretch, but couldn't fend off the closing Two Stitches, who surged by to win by more than one length in 1:56.1. Early leader Fast Lane Wealth (Serge Masse) rounded out the top three finishers at long odds of 18-1.
Two Stitches returned $40.70 to her backers for the upset win. The homebred Modern Art-Thurstons Love E miss is co-owned by local trainer Marino and Herbert Boggs of Duncan, B.C. Two Stitches, a second leg Mary Murphy Breeders Stakes winner, earned her third seasonal score from 17 starts.
Veteran gelding Lil Dude Starrbuck returned to the top pacing ranks and front-stepped his way to a 1:53.3 victory in this week's $12,500 Open Pace, upsetting favourite Beach Boy Toy (Scott Knight), who followed three lengths behind from the pocket. Cash Account (Carl Sibiga) was third. The 11-year-old old son of Threefold earned his 44th career win, paying $12.30 to his backers. David McKellar trains for the Lil Dude Ranch of Surrey, B.C.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Fraser Downs.