AN ADORABLE STORY

The owners of Adorable Killean can call her adorable any time they want and they don’t even have to be referring to how she looks.

The daughter of Astreos out of Odessa Blue Chip was impressive as she ran her Downs winning streak to three in capturing the $25,000 Delta Pace for three-year-old fillies last Sunday.

Adorable, with trainer Dave Hudon in the bike, gave up an early battle for the lead to settle for the two hole and the decision was a key one. She was flushed off the rail by an early move by even-money favorite Garden Gate Tina, took the lead down the backstretch and never looked back.

Adorable Killean, a 3-1 second choice, won in a new life mark of 1:55.3 by five lengths over 11-1 shot Ross Ridge Casino. Judges Acenthehole, at 13-1, paced a torrid first quarter of 26.4 seconds but still managed to get third.

Tina, despite a rough trip from the seven hole on the gate, was fourth with the rest in order: Millbanks Tempest (at 72-1), Wanton Hall, Vee Cee Snuggles, Red Star Cloudy and Red Star Cindy.

“It is always good to see that (a 26.4 first quarter) when you are sitting in the two hole,” Hudon said in the winner’s enclosure.

Hudon’s wife Kelly is an owner, along with Nigel and Marsha Holmes, of the recent import from Ontario. Nigel used his Ontario connection, Jean Beliveau, to find that Adorable, who had not recorded a win in 16 starts as a two-year-old, was for sale. How good a bargain was she? Adorable Killean, who has now won more than $31,000 in her career and $16,250 for her new owners, was purchased for $13,000.

When a claim they tried at the Downs fell through Hudon suggested Nigel call Beliveau to see if he knew of anything for sale.

“He mentioned this horse,” Hudon added, “and we did a printout of her races and she looked pretty good.”

She last raced in Ontario Nov. 21.

“She was in Ontario for a couple of weeks after that,” Hudon said, “and after she arrived here (just before Christmas) we turned her out for a month.”

What work did they do on her? “None.”

 “When she got here I liked her from the get-go,” he said, “and I liked her more after she trained nicely.”

She will get this week off and then be back for one more race here (she fits non-winners four) and then I will take her to Edmonton and aim her for the Compass Rose (stake).

“If she does well, who knows, we may stay for more.” 

SANDOWN PLATE: Speedin Ian and Nazko Summer each got their first wins of 2007 and the timing is vital.

Their victories came in the legs of the Sandown Plate last Saturday at the Downs and boosted them into favorites roll for the $25,000 final on Saturday.

There were only five horses in each leg (there was a scratch in one) and so all, except for Garden Gate Buddy who did not enter, are back for the final in the event for three-year-old colts and geldings.

Ian, who won three of five starts as a two-year-old including one in 1:56.3 for the mile, made a strong attack from fourth just after the half. He took the lead on the outside at the three quarter mark and used a 28.4 last quarter to win by 1¼ lengths in 1:58.2. Red Star Outwest was second and Gogo Fame third.

Ian, a son of Cambest, is owned by Jarm Investments and Serge Masse and is trained and driven by Masse.

Summer took full advantage of a scratch and then a comfy two-hole trip to win the other heat by ½ length in 1:59. Summer, who was second in the Breeders Stake as a two-year-old, has a career best time of 1:57.3.

Handsome Bob, who was third early but had the lead before the half, was caught in the stretch to finish second with The Geek third.

Nazko Summer is owned by Bill Boden and Kelly Hudon and trained and driven by Dave Hudon.

Summer and Ian also drew well for the final. Summer will start from the three hole while Ian, the 2-1 overnight favorite, will be right beside in four. Sunbury Hope, who was fifth in the first heat, drew the rail and Red Star Outwest got the two hole.

Others in the final are Red Star Survivor and Hyakutake No Ka Oi.

Interestingly, the scratch in the heat was Red Star Sailor, a morning line favorite who had just won the previous week in 1:56.1, his fourth win in a row.

ANOTHER BLACKTIE AFFAIR: Armbro Blacktie continues to have a fun and productive 2007.

The six-year-old son of Camluck extended his record for the year to 4-3-2 in nine starts as he captured the open (along with $35,000 claimers) event last Sunday.

Owned by Jerry Blanchet and Herb Boggs and trained and driven by Jim Marino, Blacktie started a first-up move a little earlier than usual but still used a strong last half and quarter (28.4) to win.

Blacktie, a 1-9 prohibitive favorite, covered the mile in a new lifetime mark of 1:54.1 and won by 1¼ lengths in the field of five.

We Winnie Winston and Joe Millionaire, making their first starts in the open, also closed strongly (both were 28.3 in the last quarter) to finish second and third respectively.

Blacktie pushed his 2007 earnings to more than $33,000 and his lifetime money to more than $213,000.

Furious Five also is starting to like 2007.

The four-year-old daughter of Faldo Hanover, who was having an outstanding 2006 until being injured in a fall in the Breeders Stakes in November, made her fifth start of the year.

She ran her record to 5-2-2-1 by winning the open (with $35,000 claimers) event last Saturday in a ’07 best 1:55.1.

Also in a field of five, Furious Five, a 1-2 favorite, sat in the two-hole until starting an attack just before the three-quarter pole. She closed in 28.1 seconds to win by four lengths over Coco Bongo while Silvery Belle was third.

Furious Five, owned by Jarm Investments of Edmonton and trained and driven by Serge Masse, now has yearly earnings of more than $22,000 and lifetime of more than $248,000.

MORE MASSE MAGIC: Serge Masse was red hot as he paced all drivers at Fraser Downs last weekend.

Masse had grand slams back to back on Friday and Saturday and then rounded out the weekend with two wins Sunday for a total of 10.

Jim Marino and Dave Hudon shared runner-up honors with five each. Scott Knight had three victories while Clint Warrington had a pair and moved to 999 in his career.

Masse also led all trainers with six triumphs. Marino, Hudon, Steve Germain and Erik Neyhart picked up three wins and Ann Cooper had two. 

WEEKLY STARS: Cher The Wealth, a seven-year-old by Wheelin Chance who won 11 times in 2006, captured her third successive win and the 35th of her career last Friday. She is trained by Serge Masse.

To Shay, a five-year-old daughter of Distinguished Baron, kept rolling in 2007, winning her second straight and running her record to 7-3-1-2 for trainer Ty O’Neill.

I The Undersigned, an eight-year-old daughter of Thatll Be Me who won 12 races in 2006, won her second of the year and 35th of her career. Steve Germain owns and trains her.

Double Stutz (g 4 Stutzpan) won for trainer Germain and now is 8-2-5-0 for the year.

Kents Refextion (h 4 Kents On Nuke) won for trainer Sam Robinson and owner Walter Vis and is now 4-1-2-1 in 2007. Vis also won with Shes A Talent the same night in Edmonton.

Red Star Best, a five-year-old gelded son of Cambest trained by Ann Cooper, won his third in his last four starts. The wins have come in order in $6,000, $15,000 and $20,000 claiming events.

Kootenay Finale, a five-year-old daughter of Safe N Rich, lowered her lifetime mark to 1:56.4 the week before and last Saturday won her second straight for trainer Serge Masse. Finale now has 15 lifetime wins.

The Funk Brothers, a four-year-old by Scruffy Hanover won his fourth in his last five starts and equaled his career best clocking  of 1:55.3 for trainer Bill Davis.

Proudsonofscotland, a five-year-old son of Chill Factor, grabbed his 10th lifetime victory and his third successive, this time in a new lifetime mark of 1:57.2 for trainer Jim Marino.

Celtic Taran (g 5 Albert Albert) got his first win of 2007, appropriately on St. Patrick’s Day, for trainer Dave Hudon; Genuine Ellie Mae (m 5 Usher Hanover) set a lifetime mark of 1:59.1 while finishing in a dead heat for the win for trainer Erik Neyhart; Flatmates Oie (c 3 Cambest) lowered his career best to 1:58.2 while pushing his 2007 record to 7-3-1-2 for Masse; Silk Puddles (h 4 Dancing Puddles) cut his top clocking to 1:54.2 while winning his first of the year and paying $99.60 for trainer Helmut Ratz; Red Star Paylater (c 3 Bilateral) chopped his career best to 1:58.2 for trainer Mike Bourgeois and Tahuya Burner (g 4 Kents on Nuke) set a lifetime time of 1:57.3 for Neyhart.