BC-bred Stake resumes at Fraser

Fraser Downs will host nine harness racing contests on Thursday (Sep. 20), and the card will feature the next leg of the B.C. Bred Stakes. Six three-year-old fillies will line up in one division for the Mary Murphy, while 19 three-year-old colts and geldings are split into three divisions for the Robert Murphy Memorial.

RACE 1 – BC BRED STAKES #24 MARY MURPHY 3YO FILLIES 2ND LEG: $20,000

1. SIDE PIECE (4-5)
2. WESTCOAST CAPTIVE (10-1)
3. DIVA AMOUR (12-1)
4. CROWN PRINCESS (5-1)
5. CUSTARD OR NOTHING (3-1)
6. HEART OF A DRAGON (15-1)

The morning line odd favourite, Side Piece (Shadow Play), draws the rail and teams up with Brandon Campbell. It’s tough to go against a pacer who has won four of her five starts this year and has a lifetime mark of 1:54.0. When Side Piece gets to the front end early. She is nearly impossible to catch according to her race lines. Her only potential drawback is that she spread out starts this year, but it has yet to affect her negatively. She won the first leg in 1:54.2 and will look forward to repeat on Thursday.

Crown Princess (Bettors Delight) is set to make her first start in her home province of British Columbia on Thursday night. All of her 16 career starts were in Ontario, and she was able to win four of those. Crown Princess has also finished in the top three 11 times during that time and has a lifetime mark of 1:58.2.

Custard Or Nothing (Custard The Dragon) finished second last week in the first leg behind Side Piece. Rod Therres kept her in the pocket for the whole race, and the rest of the field couldn’t keep up. Therres will jump aboard again and try to turn the tables this week. The post position doesn’t matter much, as Custard Or Nothing has won from the five-hole.

My Picks: 1-4-5

RACE 6 – BC BRED STAKES #24 ROBERT MURPHY MEMORIAL 3YO COLTS AND GELDINGS 2ND LEG 1ST DIVISION: $15,000

1. RUM N RAISINS (3-1)
2. MICKIE MANTLE (2-1)
3. POP N LIKE PEZ (8-1)
4. USUAL SUSPECT (7-2)
5. OUTLAWWESTERNSTYLE (15-1)
6. CATCH ME OLIVER (5-1)
7. THE LAST WALTZ  (10-1)

Mickie Mantle (Custard The Dragon) finished second last time behind Rum N Raisins, but the rematch will play out differently. Co-owner Fred Gilbert is coming off a massive weekend in his home province of Manitoba with his first-ever Manitoba Great Western stake win. Fate could be looking kindly on him and providing another big win, but this time in British Columbia. If Kelly Hoerdt sits back and takes the pocket trip, history may repeat itself, but whoever takes the early lead will likely be the winner this time. Mickie Mantle will not want to stare at Rum N Raisins’ back end on Thursday.

Rum N Raisins (Custard The Dragon) went wire-to-wire in the first, and he will be close to winning again in this one. The price makes Mickie Mantle more attractive, but Rum N Raisins will be there soon. His 1:53.2 performance last week is now Rum N Raisins personal best time. John Abbott will be in the bike again with Rum N Raisins.

Catch Me Oliver (Mystician) had to requalify after his last effort. However, he looked good in the qualifier and paced the mile in 1:57.1. He has visited the winner circle three times in five starts and has a lifetime mark of 1:55.3. Catch Me Oliver has a good chance in this one if he stays flat.

My Picks: 2-1-6

RACE 7 – BC BRED STAKES #24 ROBERT MURPHY MEMORIAL 3YO COLTS AND GELDINGS 2ND LEG 2ND DIVISION: $15,000

1. DOMI (8-5)
2. LUKES PROCLAMATION (9-5)
3. BILLY BUXTON (12-1)
4. PROMISING SHADOW (8-1)
5. T N CUSTARD (5-1)
6. DILLON JAMES

Domi (Living It Up) has won six times this year and has finished in the top three ten times in 11 starts. His lifetime mark of 1:53.3 is the fastest of anyone in this field. He had a rough ninth-place finish back in August but has put together a couple of solid qualifier miles along with that win last week, making him look like he is back in prime condition.

Dillon James (Mystician) also won last week in the first leg and did so slightly faster in 1:55.4. His performance last time out was good enough to be his lifetime mark, and it was his second win of the year. Rod Therres will be in the bike on Thursday, and the duo will be coming out of post position six.

I will go with Lukes Proclamation (Captive Audience) to round out the top three. He has yet to win in Canada this year. His only 2023 win came at Cal Expo in the spring, and he paced that mile in 1:57.2. Lukes Proclamation finished third last week in the first leg but did so in a similar time as Domi and Dillon James. Kelly Hoerdt will be in the bike again for training, John Hudon.

RACE 8 – BC BRED STAKES #24 ROBERT MURPHY MEMORIAL 3YO COLTS AND GELDINGS 2ND LEG 3RD DIVISION: $15,000

1. CHIEF IS BOSS (6-1)
2. SPEAKDOLLARSNCENTS (4-1)
3. SON OF A BEACH (5-1)
4. YENOH WHO (8-1)
5. RILKOFF (3-1)
6. BUDDYVILLE (2-1)

Rilkoff (Shadow Play) was scratched last week and was listed as sick. After having some more time off, he should be primed for action Thursday night. He also went off stride in his last race and finished ninth place. Now, with the time off, I expect him to return to his form, and he will have to be close to matching his lifetime mark of 1:54.3 to get the job done.

Coming from a stint in Minnesota is Speakdollarsncents (Artspeak). His first start back in British Columbia last week was a second-place finish in the first leg. Speakdollarsncents will be looking for his second win of the year and the third of his career. Scott Knight is in charge of driving duties, and the duo will come out of post position two.

The morning line odds favourite is Buddyville (Huntsville), and he will line up from the outside post position. He has yet to win but posted a 1:56.3 time during a qualifier mile two weeks ago. He is capable of speed but has yet to be able to show it off during an actual race. Buddyville will be in touch to get the win, but he could very well get his first career top-three finish.

Fraser Downs kicks off at 7:00 p.m. PDT.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Trey Colbeck, for Harnesslink