J J J ETC. STEAL STALLION SHOW 

What, no sweep!?

The ownership combination of J J J Stables and Alan and Mark Anderson has dominated the Stakes scene at the present Fraser Downs meet. And, they did it again last Saturday in the Stallion Stakes eliminations.

The only slight ray of sunshine for the other owners - J J J etc. did not win one of the four Stakes on the menu.

However, while Wild Dunes Diamond from the Wild Dunes Stables captured the second of two eliminations for fillies, horses from the J J J etc combo were again on top of their games.

They were led by the undefeated racing machine named Betterfrombehind, who grabbed the other filly elim, again in impressive fashion.

With leading driver Bill Davis in the bike, Betterfrombehind, a daughter of Kents On Nuke, made it 10 wins in 10 lifetime starts, winning by 7 1/2 lengths over a field of six in a time of 1:57.2. Despite starting from the five hole on the gate, Better, the 1-9 favorite, raced to the front and won gate-to-wire.

She now has won such stakes as the Breeders, Sales and Delta en route to lifetime earnings of more than $87,000. Betterfrombehind, who is trained by Al Anderson, will also now be a prohibitive favorite to win the $100,000 plus Stallion Stakes final on April 30.

Red Star Toodles, a 19-1 shot, was second, Millbanks Arrow third and Dal Reo Tiarra fourth.

Wild Dunes Diamond, driven by Jim Marino and trained by Sten Ericsson, also went gate to wire in her victory. The daughter of Scruffy Ben, 3-1 third choice in the field, won the second race of her career in a lifetime mark of 1:59.2 as she held on for a neck decision over even-money favorite Porkchops Buddy. Freedom Whisper was third and Dal Reo Indy fourth.

One of the two J J J combo winners on the colt and gelding side was Active Pass, making his first start at the Downs. The son of Kents On Nuke (there is that name again) was also highly impressive as he stretched his unbeaten career streak to three.

Driven by Tim Brown, the even-money favorite used different tactics as he was content to sit back early. He was fifth at the half, 6 1/2 lengths behind the leader but was flying as he came second up. He covered the mile in a new life mark of 1:56.4 and won by four lengths over Lunar TKO.

Red Star Yogi was third and Skippy Blue Shoe, a 43-1 shot, was fourth in the field of six.

Rounding out the big day for J J J, Anderson, Davis and Kents On Nuke was Namedbyfreaks who raced to victory in the other colt and gelding elim.

Taking advantage of a cosy two-hole trip (after Fast Lane Fusion had to work to get to the front), Freak attacked on the last turn and went a 28.4 second last quarter for a 1:57.3 mile. He won by 1 1/2 lengths over an also fast-closing Vai Con Dio, a 48-1 shot, was flew over the last quarter in 28.2.

Namedbyfreaks, who was a 2-5 favorite, now has two wins in four starts in 2005.

Fusion held on for third and Whaturmoneybought was fourth.

The finals will be April 30 and if all enter there will be a draw between fifth-place finishers in the eliminations for the ninth spot. That would be Wikiwiki Hyakutake and Dancelikeahos in the colts and geldings and Sparkling Puddles and Red Star Tabitha for the fillies. 

DAVIS DELIVERS: Despite only two days of racing, Bill Davis found a way to maintain his average number of wins - win six races on one day.

The perennial leader at the Downs picked up the six-pack last Saturday, driving to six victories in seven races from the fourth to the 10th.  He had picked up one win on Friday and his seven on the weekend gave him 78 for 2005.

Jim Burke also had a strong showing, picking up five wins in the two days. Serge Masse had three victories while Jim Marino, John Hudon and Tim Brown had two each.

Marino was restricted to stakes races on Saturday and got one win, enough to also have 78 for the year.

Davis also led all trainers with four trips to the winner's enclosure followed by Alan Anderson with three - in the Stallion Stakes eliminations - and Mike Glover and Wayne Isbister with two apiece. 

FAST TRACKING: Last Friday Fraser Downs' track was listed as sloppy for that night’s card and times were indeed off a second or two.

Twenty-four hours later track super Darcy Perdue had done his magic act. On  Saturday's card six horses set lifetime marks.

Red Star Riverboat led the new top times. The four-year-old son of Fit For Life paced the mile in a rapid 1:55.3 as he won for the second straight start and for the fourth time in 10 starts in 2005.

Three-year-old colt Active Pass, a son of Kents On Nuke, also was in top form as he covered the mile in 1:56.4 in a Stallion Stakes elimination. The other marksetters were: Wild Dunes Diamond (1:59.2), Mellowroad (2:00.1), Takeonefortheteam (2:00.2) and Tahuya Childer (2:00.4).  

BOLTON KEEPS SMOKIN: Armbro Bolton continues to win for the red-hot J J J Stables of Aldergrove and Alan Anderson of California.

Bolton covered the mile oval at Edmonton's Northlands Park last Saturday to complete a stakes hat trick with a dominant win in the $49,400 final of the Sunwapta Stake.

On Feb. 26 he took the $37,400 Pat Brennan Memorial at Fraser Downs and on March 26 he took the $39,900 final of the Borden Park Stake at Northlands.

With driver Larry Micallef, the four-year-old gelded son of Matts Scooter and Armbro Jemstone, cruised past rivals in the lane enroute to his sixth win of the season in a fine clocking of 1:56.3.

Allamerican Dakota was 2 1/4 lengths back in second, Dugout Andee third and Armbro Blacktie, owned by Ming Siu of Richmond, fourth.

Armbro Bolton improved his 2005 record to 6-3-2 in 11 starts and lifted his career bankroll to $99,339 with the win.

Meanwhile, Armbro Bach (Village Jiffy-Lindwood Metra) posted a 1:55.2 wire to wire decision in a $15,000 condition pace earlier on the card for trainer Ray Gemmill of Surrey and driver Don Monkman Jr.

Bach is now seven-for-12 on the season with $92,912 in the bank for partners Gemmill and Ian Moyes of Surrey and Ron Waples of Guelph, Ont. 

CRUISER THIRD: Seven Seas Cruiser is getting closer.