Brown and Dale Reo to battle from outside
Fraser Downs driver/trainer Tim Brown
was more than an interested spectator at Monday night’s post
position draw for Saturday’s Breeders Stakes Classic races.
But before the draw even started Brown
explained his feelings – and that of most on hand awaiting
their horse’s fate.
“A good horse never draws a bad post,”
he said. “Good drivers overcome.”
He did add with a chuckle, “Come and
see me after, I may change my mind.”
I did, he didn’t and he could have as
Dale Reo, a horse he drives, and the likely favorite going
in, drew the outside eight post.
Dale Reo, a son of Scruffy Hanover who
had tied the track record, 1:55, for three-year-old colts in
winning a first elimination leg, made it two in a row last
Saturday. He won his fourth straight and eighth in 15 starts
in 2003, this time in 1:55.4 by a length over Red Star
Blaze.
Dale Reo’s biggest challenge is
expected to come from Red Star Emerson who was a close
second to Dale in the first leg and won a leg of his own
last Saturday. Emerson drew the four hole, one that many
feel is prime.
Another Red Star – Blaze – was second
in both his legs and drew the trailing nine where he will
have to follow Yeah Norton. Norton won an opening leg, was a
victim of the virus plaguing the Downs and was scratched
last Saturday but got the rail.
Time Step, Showtime Eddy and Blackbelt
Champ will start from the five, six and seven holes
respectively and rounding out the field are This Show Is
Over (2) and Dal Reo Dart (3).
That race is for a purse of more than
$100,000 and is one of 10 set for the Downs’ biggest day
when primarily B.C. bred horses battle for close to $370,000
in total.
Interestingly on the three-year-old
filly side, Red Star Rockaway, the early favorite, drew the
rail and solidified that selection.
Rockaway won the second elimination by
¾ of a length in 1:57 and now has 10 wins in 15 starts this
year.
Dal Reo Millee and Called To The Bar
will have to be reckoned with as they drew well, two and
five respectively. An entry with Rockaway, Red Star Sapphire
drew nine and Red Star Niecy three, Millenium Money four,
Taylor Factor six, Yumyum Candy, seven, and Lo N Jo the
outside eight.
The purse is also more than $100,000.
Red Star Special should be the favorite
for the Breeders Stakes final for two-year-old colts and
geldings. He set records for his age in both eliminations,
1:57.4 and 1:57.3, and Monday at the draw got the very fine
four hole.
However, they should – and will -- run
the race anyway because challengers lurk everywhere.
Seven Seas Cruiser lost last week by
just a neck to Special after winning a first leg in 1:58. He
will be next door at five. Lil Dude Starrbuck, who won
impressively last Friday in 1:59.2, is in the two-hole and
Imabarontwo, who had won a first leg, is at seven.
Others are Law Of The Yukon (3), Rambo
Pass (6), Red Star Golfer (1) and Rede Star Riverboat (8).
Meanwhile, on the filly front, Da Lil
Dudett, who has won three Stakes or Stakes eliminations in a
row, won gate-to-wire last week. She grabbed the four hole
in the draw. Ivys Wine, finished a close second, after her
maiden victory in her first elimination a week earlier, but
will be forced to start from the back row.
Others in the field are Celtic Rayne
(1), Miss St Labush (2), entry-mates Chrissy Can Do (5) and
Diamond Dancer (6) and another entry Red Star Cowgirl (3),
Red Star Bedazzled (7) and Red Star Suesue (8).
They will all battle for more than
$45,000 in the finals.
The Invite, an open event for the top
horses on the grounds, and the fillies and mares open will
race for purses of $19,000 and $15,000 respectively.
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