NICE TRI!!: It was a night for nice triactor
payouts last Friday at the Downs. There was one for $3,563
in the fourth race, another for $3,362.40 in the ninth
race and a nifty $9,599.90 in the 11th, a 6-9-4
combination bolstered by the second-place finish of 30-1
Bring Em On. But records show that the $9-plus was a long
way from the $20,334.90 payout best.
CAPPER RECAP: Brenda Prokopenko of Maple Ridge is
the sixth week's winner -- in record fashion -- of the
Ultimate Capper Contest.
In the contest, which has $10,000 in prize money up for
grabs, Prokopenko led all handicappers with $210.90, the
best one-day total to date. She claimed the $500 top money
for handicapping on home turf at Fraser Downs. Her win was
helped by the victory of ICQ, who paid $102.60 in the
sixth race.
Tim Wiesner of Surrey got $250 for finishing second with
$184. Phil Rowe of Delta was third for $150, Lori Wain of
Langley fourth for $75 and fifth-place Dave Mahy of New
Westminster got $25.
The big week helped Prokopenko take the overall lead with
$230.90, just ahead of Weisner at $225.70. Also moving up
were Mahy at $225.20 and Rowe $218.10. Gene Bodor, who has
been near the top from the start, is at $213.10.
The ultimate (best) handicapper -- the person with the
most in winnings -- at the end of the 10-week contest will
be off to Toronto, with a guest, for the Queen's Plate and
North America Cup, June 21-22.
The UCC, in which participants are asked to handicap
standardbred and thoroughbred races, goes Saturdays and
those interested can enter one day or every day during the
contest.
There's $1,000 in weekly cash prizes divided in the
following manner: first, $500; second, $250; third, $150;
fourth, $75 and fifth, $25.
The tracks remaining in the contest are: Northlands Park
(harness) this Saturday; Churchill Downs (thoroughbreds)
May 3 (Kentucky Derby); Hastings Park (thoroughbreds) May
10 and Hollywood Park May 17.
AGNES GUNN DIES: Agnes Gunn, widow of Horse Racing
Hall of Fame member Brad Gunn, passed away on Friday,
April 18 in Lloydminster, Sask. Well known to many at
Fraser Downs, she was 86 years old.
DAVE HUDON, ARSENAULT LEAD WAY: It's April 2003 --
A.D. The quick know what that means: After Davis. The
long-time, leading driver trainer at Fraser Downs has gone
to Alberta, leaving the many races he used to claim up for
grabs.
Dave Hudon, third in driver wins at the meet, and Andy
Arsenault, showing he's back on the beam after returning
from a long layoff due to injury, were the first to take
advantage. With but two days of racing a week now, Hudon
and Arsenault each had four driving victories. Scott
Knight was next with three while Larry Micallef, Jim
Marino and Tim Brown had two each.
Arsenault also led the trainer brigade with three
triumphs. Ed Tracey, Hudon and John Currie had two each.
