Over Ice glides to victory in $100,000 Millbank Memorial

Over Ice (Custard The Dragon) put a deep freeze on her harness racing opponents in the $100,000 Betty Millbank Memorial Final as she maintained her perfect record in a dominating performance at Fraser Downs on Thursday (Oct. 26).

The filly cruised on the lead for Brandon Campbell and commanded single-file respect as she paced the first three splits in :27.2, :58, and 1:26.1. She began to stretch her legs at the third station and was long gone by the eighth pole, opening up by eight-and-a-quarter lengths in the end as she flew to the finish in 1:54.2. Great Emotion (Dave Hudon) was the best of the rest. Seniorita Draco (Scott Knight) prevailed among the trailing pack for third.

OVER ICE REPLAY

Over Ice is unbeaten in five lifetime starts, four of which came in the Millbank Memorial series for BC-bred two-year-old fillies. She is a homebred for J J J Stables and has earned $80,500 in the hands of trainer Jim Marino.

The finish of the counterpart stake, the $100,000 Robert Murphy Memorial Final, was far closer, but Buddy Knocks (Betterthancheddar) made it another series sweep by an unbeaten rookie. The gelding advanced at the start from post seven to take the four-hole, where he raced until Rod Therres pulled the trigger to go first-over on the backstretch. 

Buddy Knocks was two lengths adrift in third at three-quarters but continued to grind and struck the front entering the stretch. Outlawstaythecourse (John Abbott), off his cover, closed him down in deep-stretch, but Buddy Knocks held him off by a head to secure the victory in 1:54.1. Key Dragon (Phil Giesbrecht) took the show money.

BUDDY KNOCKS REPLAY

Buddy Knocks is also perfect in five starts with four of them in the Robert Millbank Memorial event for BC-bred freshman colts and geldings. Therres conditions the gelding, who has now earned $75,000, for Peikko Vajunen of Vancouver.

Miss Itunes (Mystery Chase) went back-to-back in the night’s Fillies and Mares Preferred Handicap. Phil Giesbrecht guided her to a second straight win, her 23rd lifetime, in 1:53 for trainer Christopher Lancaster. Donna Wyse of Rocky View County owns the six-year-old that has banked $231,863 in 104 lifetime starts.

MISS ITUNES REPLAY

Giesbrecht was the day’s top driver with three tallies.

Racing at Fraser Downs continues on Friday, Oct. 27 at 7:00 p.m. PDT.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink