Damsel Delta favorite, revenge of the Titan and more

Despite drawing the trailing nine hole, Dal Reo Damsel is the favourite for Saturday's Delta Pace for three-year-old fillies at Fraser Downs.

Damsel, already a double Stakes winner with career earnings of $65,000, has been tabbed the 8-5 favourite in the overnight entries. Dal Reo Damsel, owned by Charlie MacFarlane of Victoria and Rod Therres of Surrey and trained and driven by Therres, captured the first elimination leg last Friday. She won by 2 1/2 lengths in covering the mile in 2:00.2. She came first up from the two hole to take the lead just after the quarter. Dal Reo Santoy was second and Red Star Katie third in the five-horse field.

Santoy, owned by Dal Reo Farms, is the second choice in the final at 3-1 and will start from the four hole.

Despite losing the second elimination leg -- just by a nose -- Papas Reflection, owned by Kelly Hudon of Surrey and Myrna Green of Victoria, is the third choice at 7-2. Papas Reflection is also a Stakes winner and drew the rail for the final. She was second to Three For Me, owned by Nadine Heidt and Sheila Fraser, trained by Heidt and driven by Jim Burke. Three For Me, who had the longest odds at 7-1 in the other heat, was making her fifth career start and second of 2002, won by a nose in a time of 2:01.4.

Three For Me is at 9-2 for the final along with Rick White's Peaceful Life. They are right behind Robert Murphys entry of Red Star Sal and Red Star Katie, each trained by Bill Davis, who are at 4-1. Millbanks Counsel, third in the second elimination, is at 10-1 and Better Bet Her is 15-1.

Saturday's final carries a purse of slightly more than $30,000.

DAVIS LEADS AGAIN: Bill (Still Dominating) Davis continued to pull away last weekend from his rivals in the driver and trainer derbies. Davis who leads all drivers in wins and earnings (second to the now-departed Serge Masse in universal ratings and win percentage) had seven driving victories. Dave McKellar had five and Jim Burke four. Glenn White chalked up a win Friday and now is one away from 500 for his career. Davis, who leads in all categories as a trainer, was best with six wins while Dave Hudon, Ken Dorman, Rod Therres, Mike Glover and McKellar had two each.

REVENGE OF THE TITAN: One of the best showings last weekend was the victory Sunday in a nifty 1:55.4 by Titans Revenge. The five-year-old son of Scruffy Hanover out of Jentricks Gal, owned by John Heras and trained and driven by Dave Hudon, captured the winners over feature. Sunday's fast track led to new lifetime marks for Southside Quartz (2:00.4), Red Star Missile (2:00.3), Red Star Camelot (1:57.3) and Rio Pizzaz (1:58.0).

WAY TO GO ANN: Congratulations to Ann Scheepbouwer who has been named the IGA Market Place Groom of the Week. Ann works for the Rod Therres stable.

GROOM CHALLENGE SET: The second annual Grooms Challenge, sponsored by the B.C. Standardbred Association, Fraser Downs, Clover Square Village and Market Place IGA-Cloverdale, is set for the weekend of April 5-7.

Each and every groom will be permitted to pick one horse in his or her barn that will race on that weekend. The participants will have their names included in the program. Every groom whose horse wins will receive an equal share in a $1,000 pot put up by the BCSA.

The Market Place IGA will hold a barbeque in the paddock on Saturday morning, there will be golf shirts donated by Clover Square Village and a windup party Sunday at Rafters Restaurant. Larry Fisher, representing the Mall and the BCSA directors, will present cheques to the winners.

SAMANTHA SHARP: Samantha Square is taking dead aim at her Ontario challengers.

Making her second start in Ontario -- this time at Mohawk -- Samantha (Albert Albert-Gracie Square) moved up to the fillies and mares open race and used a late charge to finish second on Saturday, March 23.

Samantha Square, owned by Downs' trainer/driver Rick White of Surrey and the Kauffman's, June and John of Woodinville, Wash., was driven by Keith Oliver. She was seventh, 7 1/2 lengths back at the three-quarter pole, but covered the last quarter in 28.1 to finish 3 1/4 lengths behind Walk On The Beach. The time for the mile was 1:54.4.

Samantha Square, sent off as 3-1 second choice, picked up $12,000 of the $48,000 purse.

TIME IN TRAFFIC: Broadway Time encountered some traffic problems and had to settle for eighth in a 10-horse field in the $48,800 final of the Apaches Fame Series at Mohawk Racetrack on Friday, March 22.

Sent to Toronto recently by trainer Carl Sibiga, the three-year old covered the last quarter in 29.4 in finishing just 2 1/2 lengths behind the winner Whispers Spy. Spy and driver Keith Oliver teamed up for a 1:56.2 victory, winning by a head over longshots Triple Lengths and Great As Gretz.

The series was open to three-year-old Ontario Sired pacing colts who were non-winners of $30,000 lifetime as of Oct. 31, 2001.

HARLEY NOSED OUT: Robert Murphy's Red Star Harley was a close second in the $32,100 Borden Park Final for three and four-year-old colts and geldings at Northlands Park on Saturday,March 23. Favourite Dragonwyck was a nose winner over Harley, trained and driven by Rene Goulet, while Abouttolosecontrol finished third. Time for the mile was 1:58.3.

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