Infinite Dreams strong again
Infinite
Dreams continues to stake his claim to top horse in the
Invitational ranks at Fraser Downs.
Coming off a win on April 9 where he
set the track record of 1:52.1, Infinite Dreams won his
second straight Invitational (winners over) last Saturday.
Since Jan. 24 the son of Artsplace has either been first or
second nine successive times in the event but instill
Saturday’s win in 1:53.2 he had never won two in a row.
Owned by Bill Boden and trained and
driven by Dave Hudon, Infinite Dreams now has six wins in 11
starts in 2004 and has won more than $40,000.
Part of a 3-5 favored entry – this time
with Mt Kilipanajo – Dreams started from the four-hole in
the five-horse field. He dropped into third early as Red
Star Admiral, from the outside, and Haras Colta Cola dueled
for the lead with Admiral getting in front.
It stayed that way to just past the
half (a quick 56.4) when Infinite Dreams moved first up. It
became a two-horse race with Dreams held to the outside, one
length back at the three-quarter pole and 1½ lengths at the
head of the stretch.
But Hudon went to work and managed to
wear down Admiral before the wire to win by three-quarters
of a length.
Sucha Smooth Deal came from fifth after
three quarters to finish third but was 10 lengths behind the
winner.
MORE MONEY TOO: The annual
Stallion Stake for three-year-olds will have a new date and
a new purse. The B.C. Standardbred Breeders Society board of
directors has decided to make the two significant changes to
the 2005 version of the Stallion Stake.
Firstly, the event will be moved from
January to April. This change will allow trainers more time
to get the young horses ready thereby increasing the number
of entries. The weather and track conditions in April will
also make for a much more attractive event.
The board also decided to increase the
purse for the event from the present $60,000 to $100,000 for
each gender. The additional funds will be provided by the
$210,000 breeder’s share of the horsemen’s slot revenue.
It was also decided that the Breeders
Stakes for two-year-olds in November of 2004 will also
benefit as the purses will be raised to offer $50,000 (up
from $45,000) finals.
The Broodmare Award will receive a
boost of $90,000 from the new funds. The balance of the new
money has yet to be dedicated.
WHITE WINS: Bruce White of
Surrey has won the inaugural King of the Hill handicapping
challenge in only four weeks.
Battling against three other
competitors -- Chris Carr, Joe Sotelo and Bob Kosolofski --
on Monday, White chose the eight horse in the second race at
Mohawk. The favourite drove-on to victory while the other
three competitors’ horses did not win their respective
races.
White wins the $500 grand prize and
bragging rights over the other 150-plus contestants.
The foursome was the only ones to
survive after week two and all advanced again in week
three.
It started March 22 when the more than
150 entrants submitted a pick of what horse they thought
would win on the Woodbine (later Mohawk) Monday night card.
If the handicapper was astute and his horse won he moved on
to the next week. Lose and they were gone, out, kaput.
HOLLYWOOD CALLING: The Ultimate
Capper Handicapping Contest is back and the winner will get
a vacation for two to see the $1 million Pacific Classic at
Del Mar race track in sunny Southern California.
Starting on May 1, and running for 10
consecutive Saturdays until July 3, contestants will pick a
horse in three of the designated six races from the track of
the week.
A mythical $2 win/place/show wager will
be made on each of the three horses that are selected and at
the end of each contest day, the top three contestants will
win cash. First place will win $250 with second and third
place paying $150 and $100 respectively.
The contestant with the highest total
of mythical dollars won over the 10-week period will win the
vacation for two to Del Mar. The vacation includes flight
from Vancouver International Airport, three nights
accommodation, premium seating while at the race track and
$500 spending /transportation money.
To enter, pick up a weekly entry ballot
in the Finish Line at Fraser Downs from noon on the Friday
of the contest week until post time of the first race of the
featured track and submit it to either the Finish Line
Information Window or the Finish Line HPI Centre.
The weekly Ultimate Capper featured
tracks are: May 1 - Churchill Downs – thoroughbred, May 8 -
Mohawk – harness, May 15 - Pimlico or Mountaineer –
thoroughbred, May 22 - Woodbine – thoroughbred, May 29 -
Meadowlands – harness, June 5 - Belmont – thoroughbred, June
12 - Northlands – harness, June 1h - Woodbine – harness,
June 26 - Fort Erie – thoroughbred, July 3 - Hollywood Park
– thoroughbred.
HOOOODON: Dave Hudon led the way
last week in the driver and trainer derbies.
Hudon picked up five victories for the
two days as a driver. Tim Brown (all on Saturday), Bill
Davis, Jim Marino and Gord Abbott were next with three while
Scott Knight had a pair.
Hudon’s four visits to the winner’s
enclosure were the best among trainers. Davis had three
while Brown, Knight and Ken Dorman had two each.
It is likely that Hudon will join the
list of those taking (or shipping) horses to Alberta. Citing
the lack of written races for better-class horses Hudon is
expected to take such top horses as Infinite Dreams, Mt
Kilipanjaro, Red Star Dexter and Penny Lace to Edmonton.
Several of owner Robert Murphy’s
horses, including Make Some Noise, are already there as are
Princess Jessica N and Red Star Niecy among others from the
Garden Gate Stable.
There were four new lifetime marks on
last Saturday’s card, including a 1:54.1 from five-year-old
Spider M. Three-year-old colt Band On The Run captured his
maiden win in his first start with a clocking of 1:57.4.
TASTY WIN: Yumyum Candy, owned
by Niele Jiwan of Burnaby, was a winner in 1:57.1 in fillies
and mares claiming $25-30,000 at Northlands last Friday. The
purse was $12,500.
Four hoses that raced recently at
Fraser Downs but now have shipped to Edmonton for Alberta
interests were winners last Saturday at Northlands. Led by
Jimster in 1:57.1, the list also included Rainbow Shark, The
Fisco Kid and Comstats Dream.
Still B.C.-owned, Ricardo Hall got a
second, Dale Reo a third and Maxamillenium and Dal Reo Heir
picked up fourths.
Proberts Punch, owned by
Maximracingstableinc of Squamish, raced at Georgian Downs in
Ontario and finished fifth after the odds-on favorite worked
his way to second at the head of the stretch.
Fillies owned by Robert Murphy and
trained by Jamie Gray finished first and third in the
$45,600 final of the Spring Series at Northlands Park on
April 17.
With Gray in the sulky, Southwind
Madison was the clear winner, using a big front-end effort
to win by two lengths over Alibize in a sharp 1:56.4. Stable
mate Red Star Finalee finished third.
The win was Southwind Madison’s third
in six starts this season, boosting her earnings tally to
$37,300. The daughter of Pacific Fella has won eight races
and more than $65,000 lifetime.
MAINMAN’S MOONSHOT: Last week we tried Thisbudsarose
but she was fifth. This week let’s turn to Dal Reo Millee, a
10-1 morning line choice in the ninth race Friday.
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