Stakes action rolls on at Fraser

The harness racing schedule marches on in British Columbia as the fourth leg of two and three-year-old stake races are set to go to post.

On Sunday afternoon, the Robert Millbank Memorial for two-year-old colts and geldings will go for $15,000 in each division while two-year-old fillies fight over $20,000 in the Betty Millbank Memorial. On Monday evening, the three-year-old colts and geldings are entered into the Robert Murphy Memorial and the fillies have the Mary Murphy Memorial. All the three-year-old stake races have a purse of $15,000

Sunday

Robert Millbank Memorial 4th Leg Division 1 (Race 3)

Two-year-old colts and geldings will kick things off as five pacers draw into the first division. The clear favourite heading into this race is Mickie Mantle (Custard The Dragon). Mickie Mantle has won three straight races and all of which were the previous legs of the Robert Millbank Memorial. He posted a new lifetime mark of 1:55.3 last weekend with Kelly Hoerdt aboard and he gets charged with duties once again this time around.

Domi (Livin It Up) and Son Of A Beach (Sunshine Beach) are both trained by Rod Therres and both got the inside post positions. Domi will have Therres in the bike on Sunday afternoon and will look to play spoiler by getting their second win together. John Abbott teams up with Son Of A Beach and they will look to get their third win as a team.

Robert Millbank Memorial 4th Leg Division 2 (Race 5)

Shots Fired (Custard The Dragon) has been given the status of morning line favourite after his performance last weekend. He was one-fifth of a second off his lifetime mark last time out and he gets another chance to beat that time of 1:55.3. It was only his second win in his short career but Shot Fired and David Kelly will be looking to get some consistency going on Sunday.

Lukes Proclamation (Captive Audience) is looking to remain a perfect six for six of finishing in the top three. His last start was his first race after being scratched due to illness. Lukes Proclamation and Michael Hennessy will also be looking for better consistency with this being the second start after being scratched.

Betty Millbank Memorial 4th Leg (Race 6)

Jim Marino will once again have three fillies enter on Sunday and two of them are the morning line favourites. Snowpeak (Artspeak) enters as the second favourite at odds of 9-5. She draws the inside and will look to use that as an advantage as her stable mate, Side Piece (Shadow Play) draws just to the right of her. Side Piece earned a new lifetime mark of 1:59.2 last Sunday and she will once again have Brandon Campbell in the bike.

Marino’s other entry, Center Piece (Betterthancheddar) has been given the odds of 12-1 and is the longest shot on the board. Marino has a good chance at tying his most wins in a year at 89. He currently is sitting at 87 wins in 2022 and 888 wins during his whole career.

Monday

Robert Murphy Memorial 4th Leg Division 1 (Race 3)

Jim Marino has the morning line favourite in this one with Joe Rich (Custard The Dragon). The young colt picked up the win last time out and will be looking to duplicate his success.

However, Kelly Hoerdt and Chuck You Farlie (Custard The Dragon) will be looking to spoil the party but they drew the outside post in the field of six. Chuck You Farlie finished third last time just losing to Joe Rich and Itll Be Fine.

Robert Murphy Memorial 4th Leg Division 2 (Race 4)

Itll Be Fine (Hes Watching) comes into the race with morning line odds of 9-5. Richard Lancaster trains and drives the young gelding. He never raced as a two-year-old but he is finding his place in his three-year-old year with six wins over 22 starts.

However, the morning line favourite is Lets Tie One On (Vertical Horizon) with 6-5 odds. In 22 lifetime starts he has earned $138,348 and has visited the winner’s circle 10 times. His biggest finical win to date was the $28,300 he had earned by winning the ABSS Alberta Marksman Three-year-old colt and geldings Final earlier this year at Century Downs. Scott Knight will be tasked with the challenge of continuing the win streak which is currently sitting at three races.

Mary Murphy Memorial 4th Leg Division 1 (Race 6)

Gotta Wear Shades (Custard The Dragon) heads into the race as the morning line favourite at 8-5. She draws the inside post position and will be looking for his seventh win on Monday evening. Last time out she finished third but before that had two straight wins. Gotta Wear Shades will be looking to get back into a groove.

Kittie Cat (Sportswriter) has a similarly good chance at hitting the tape first as she has 9-5 odds and she drew post position two. She has not been in the winner’s circle since September 15th and trainer Rod Therres will team up in the bike to see if they can change that.

Mary Murphy Memorial 3rd Leg Division 2

Jim Marino’s entry, Shoot The Whiskey (Shadow Play) comes in as the morning line favourite at 8-5. The filly has earned over $100,000 in career earnings in only 18 lifetime starts. She’s currently on a four race win streak and she will have Brandon Campbell in the bike to help her make it five.

Tin Foil Hat (Custard The Dragon) has been playing second fiddle behind Shoot The Whiskey during the last two starts but does have six wins already this year. Kelly Hoerdt will try his best to get the young filly back in the winner’s circle on Monday evening.

Fraser Downs Sunday afternoon card will kick off at 1:00 PM PST and the Monday evening card will start at 7:00 PM PST.

For complete Sunday race entries, click here.

For complete Monday race entries, click here.

by Trey Colbeck, for Harnesslink