Prodigal sons and daughters

Some prodigal sons and daughters of B.C. harness racing have returned.
Several competitors that have been racing at other locales were back on the Fraser Downs scene last weekend.

On that list are Bill Davis, who has been leading driver and trainer in B.C. for the last few years, Dave Jungquist, Casie Coleman and Phil Coleman.

The latter, of course, had been in Ontario with his awesome four-year-old mare Fast Lane Cruizin. Coleman, who shares ownership with Jerry Blanchet while also training Cruizin, called their stint in Ontario “good.” Fast Lane Cruizin paced against some of the best in the country and while falling short in major stakes races such as the Roses Are Red and the Milton, she turned the heads of most of the Ontario racing colony.

 
Coleman and wife Linda will have several horses competing at the Downs but Cruzin will get a well-deserved rest before the possibility of her taking on some local stars.
Daughter Casie, Davis and Jungquist have returned from Alberta.

 
Davis, as expected, was prominent in the driver and trainer battles at Stampede Park. As a trainer he had 24 wins, fourth best during his stint, and as a driver had 58 wins and a .386 universal rating, both putting him second to leading Alberta driver Keith Clark.
Jungquist, meanwhile, finished his stay in style.

 
Despite the intimidating presence of a three-horse entry from Clark’s Stable, Jungquist drove and trained Nazko Promise to victory in the $40,000 final of the Rocky Mountain Stake on Thanksgiving Monday.

The three-year-old As Promised-Bawita colt came from off the pace to blast through the lane for a three-quarter-length win in 1:55.3. Thatll Be A Check (Thatll Be Me) was second ahead of Clark’s Mortified (As Promised) who made the long trek from Regina the previous day.

Sunbury Stables of Delta owns Nazko Promise who has now won just under $39,000 on the year and possesses a lifetime mark with the effort.

Red Star Tex and Red Star Rocketman, both owned by Robert Murphy of White Rock, were fifth and ninth in the race. “He was strong the whole mile,” Jungquist said of his charge’s race in the stake. “He has always impressed us although he had some problems early. We knew he had speed.”

Nazko Promise has stayed behind in Alberta where he will be handled by Don Monkman, Jr. and will race in the Alberta Sire Stakes. He will come to the Downs in early November for the Breeders Stakes eliminations.

Jungquist just smiled when he was asked about another win he had on Thanksgiving holiday. His True To The Game, won the first race paying $77 plus. “We had a slow start at Calgary but once we got rolling we did well and I would say we had an excellent meet.”

Leading driver Tim Brown continued his winning ways by picking up five wins (three on Friday) last weekend. Scott Knight had two victories on the 12-race card Friday and Jim Burke two on Saturday. Brown now has 27 for the meet, well ahead of Rod Therres, Dave Hudon and Burke who have nine each.

Racing secretary Keith Quinlan reports that about 50 more horses are expected to be on the grounds within the next couple of weeks as trainers from Alberta join the fun. Jack Beelby, Doug Stout, Rod Starkewski and Randy Ducharme are expected. Carl Chomyc is expected to send his top campaigner Hot Steam.

Whiskey Jack (Die Laughing), a four-year-old gelding, made his first start at Fraser Downs a winning one last Saturday when he defeated a field of seven in the winners over race. Claimed in Ontario for $30,000 by Sw Farm of Aldergrove and trained and driven by Glenn White, Whiskey Jack edged Woodmere Windrop by a neck.

A new owners seminar, sponsored by the B.C. Standardbred Association and Fraser Downs, will be held at the Downs on Saturday, Nov. 3. The seminar, which is expected to cost $25, will include such workshop topics as selecting a trainer, costs (equipment, vets etc), how to buy a horse (claiming, auctions, sales etc), breeding, ownership (taxes, licensing) and more.

The workshops will be held in the afternoon and participants will be guests at that evening’s races and will get a visit to the backstretch.
Anyone interested should check at the BCSA and Downs’ offices.

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