Fraser Downs Parimutuel

Track conditions: Ideal. Water truck used to keep dust to minimum. Infield flags indicated winds at <5 knots from SSW durng first 4 races; Then went slack at twilight, before race #5. Sky was clear so temps dropped significantly ( 58f to 42f ) through-out the 13 race card. The track crew has the joint looking like a Zen Garden.

****** weather *****

New Lifetime Marks in 9 of 13 races
Gate to wire in 9 of 13 races.

In Race #12 KIAWAH established new track record .
Check-out Race# 12  replay

1:51.2, New track Record

Something for every member of the Family:

In race #13 the tote board was visible from the
International Space Station. BLUE STAR FLIGHT, first start off a claim,  paid $170 to win

Serge Masse did very well even with bad Post Positions. In five starts he had 3 wins, a second ( from PP#8 to the new track record winner) and a third

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Race #12: New track record 1:51.2.  Ckeck-out the replay
KIAWAH waited patiently fourth, as the first three battled for early position in a taxing 26.3 Q1. and moved only when flushed out just before the ClubHouse turn. The teletimer flashed 56 flat through that turn. He cut his own fraction down the backstretch in 27 flat. At 3Q pole he was past the leaders and drew away by 5 lengths in a final quarter of 28.2 as he pleased.

While driver Hudon  & KIAWAH were posing for the photo-flash at the wire,  driver S. Masse was demonstrating how to be a good looser.

It appeared to me that during the far turn and strtetch drive, #7 [pp#8]  STILETTO HALL ( Masse/Monkman) did a masterful job of denying #1 EL RANCHO RELAXO ( Clark/McDougal) any room to get loose for second. Those two eventually finished in a photo with a $1560 consequence. With his tactics, driver S. Masse accomplished two valuable things.

• He denied driver K. Clark driving room for a shot at 2nd place.
• He was a “good looser”;  finishing 2nd with the least effort needed and at the maximum possible number of lengths behind the winner.

Remarkable that STILLETTO duelled in the 26.3 Q,1, was parked around the final turn, and was still game at the wire finishing as he pleased.

Track record: Left — past Q3. Middle — mid far turn. Right — stretch call, RELAXO remained boxed 4th on the pylons

Left-Clark ( inside) finally has room & raises whip. Middle - Flash from win photo. Right — Place photo.

Race #12;  $2 exacta  [4-7] paid $15,  [4-1] would have paid $7

Race #7, Clm15k, NW30K LT ( shoulda-woulda)
Was the type of race you know the program concensus has wrong. Bad horses have inside posts and are RIPE to get beat and take most of the parimutuel pool with them.  Specifcally, #1& #2 had no shot to win but were picked 1st & 2nd by the consensus.  #3 HEZA PROMISE , first time in for a very large price (15K), the class drop was enourmous, and he was bet the Fav @ 1.60:1. The question was to fill in the blanks behind him for a potenially large exotic that did not rely on either #1 or #2.

Hindsight is always 20-20. What about using strong drivers? That would be  D. Hudon, Billy ” The Kid” , and J. Hudon. How about using horses exposed to significant changes. That would be #5 CHEYNNE DUSK, driver change from D. Howald to Billy “The Kid”, and #8 KOUTY , trainer/driver change from J. Currie  to D. Hudon?

Result chart has typo-error, Exacat paid $85.00 not $8.50

Results race #7, has typo error . Exacta paid $85

The Exacata matrix did not show any strong love for the consensus picks. A “Dutch” (proportional wager) using the exacta pool, with #3 “on top”, and excluding #1 for second, would have returned more than twice the win price for #3.

Race #7 exacta matrix

Race#8
#2 SHARP CAM  was very boxed in late in the lane.

Track condition :

Track is perfect and allowed many new life time marks tonight.  Long shadows were cast in bright sunshine during race #1

Weather :

Clear, Spring-like , winds light & variable. Temps dropped from 60f - 42f over the 13 race card ( 19:30 - 23:20 PDT ). Sunset was at 20:08 PDT. Picture on right was taken before race #3 at 20:02

Other phenomena

Betting pools were light tonight because fan focus was diverted to Vancouver hockey team  playing in early stages of NHL play-offs (they won tonight). Prominent Alberta driver/ trainer  Kelly Hoerdt was absent. All his stock was catch driven, some were racing under new banners. Appears to be moving out.

The first six races won in wire to wire fashsion
The program’s consensus provided many of the answers in the first seven races, and Exacta payoffs clustered around the lowest pay-offs in the first five.

Driver/Trainer Scott Knight made ten starts tonight, none were favorites and many had bad post positions, but still did very well. Two finishers lite up the board @ 20:1 odds.

Fraction times & differences in tenths of a second.Click to expand

Race #1 Maiden claiming
Mixed boys & girls, late in the season claiming Maidens.   Q2 shamefully backed down to 32 seconds .The first of many crimes tonight. The middle half of 62.2 seconds allowed the WW leader to accel by 3/5th’s in Q4. From pp#7 TONYO managed to overcome many troubles to close wide & well into that last segment.
Consensus 2-4, (Exacta was $8) : They finished 4-2,(Exacta paid $14)

Race #2, Maidens , F&M
Consensus 3-4-5. Finish 5-4-3

Race #3, Clm7k, NW 8KLT
Consensus 2-3-1 : Finish 2-1-3 ( Exacta  2-1 paid $14, Exacta 1-2 would have paid $8)

Race  #4 , NW2, F&M
Consensus missed the boat , although they pick #6 PROMISINGOODNEWS first and she went WW . Q2 3 seconds slower than Q1. Which resulted in 6-4-1 around the track.  No stong opinions in the Exacta matrix. [6-7] box either way was paying $28 and those were the lowest payoff in the matrix. #7 was KC aboard BOLD BEAUTY, picked 2nd by the consensus , but “did not fire”.

Race #5 Clm4k, NW1201L5, F&M  ( change from NW1501L5)
Mircle of the Spring
The 8 year old mare C LEC NAUGHTY LADY, WW  in honest fracs, knocks 2 seconds off life mark and scores her 3rd lifetime win. Average loosing margin in last 6 starts is >10 lengths.  ARTIC LIFE did well for 2nd, closing fast & very wide, it was another 3 lengths back to 3rd. Theories are best left unsaid.
Consensus 9-3-1 : Finish 1-9-3 : Exacta 1-9 paid $34 ( only five prices were lower.

More to follow :

Keith the Squirrel

Around 3 PM, Dogs alerted me to baby grey squirrel that had falled from tree in backyard.

Attemped to reunite  him with family but eventually delivered him to wildlife rehab facility some distance away. Returned to the Furher Bunker in time for Saturday night card. ( named him after Keith Clark who scored 4 wins on Saturday ; )

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Race #6
J. Hudon , with EL TORO went WW, was parked for the first 3 furlongs. In an unusual pace profile Q3 did not accelerate and was = Q2. It looked like 8-2-3-6 would go start to finish, but #6 ALLAMERICAN HARDY, swept wide into the lane  to pass the twi infront of him.
Consensus [ 5-6-7-8] got the exacta again . 8-6 pais $178

Race #7
#1 NAZKO DAYTONA parked KEYSTONE WAYLON in 27.1, but the later made the lead. The fractional times were all supperlatives. DAYTON swooped by on the BS in a  3Q time of 1:24.3 that was onlylater  beat by tonight’s the 25-30K claimers. DAYTONA win by 3 with a new lifetime mark. In the place photo NATHAN TAVES ( Clark/Isbister) beat-out WAYLON. It was 6 lengths back to 4th  . In DAYTONS last race ( See my post for 04 APR 09)   he had no room to advance at the wire.  In that race he finished secon to WITTY SCHOLAR and the fractions were stellar.
Consenus [1-6-7-3] nails it again. Order of finish 1-6-3-2. Exacata $14, Triactor $21.

Race #8: Parimutuel highlight:
The trusted leader really slowed  down once they straightened out into the lane and his followers were doomed. The fractional differences were not that extreme so it does jump off the page but here is how it went.  The fav # 3 POPULAR DEMAD was scratched . #8 EL PASO ( Clark/Clark), now from the 7th PP, left & got the lead. he was dropping from 15k claimers,  but got no respect at 10:1 odds.

Up until Q3  everything was hunky-dory.  EL PASO was rated well. Q1 in27.2,  Q2 slowed to 30 flat,  Q3 acceled to 28.2. The last turn ( 7th furlong) slowed a little to a 28.4 clip ( 14.2 seconds) . At this point in the replay you can see the trailing horses start to loom, and usually they wouldn’t get any closer as they lost ground and the rail horses scooted away down the lane. But not here. EL PASO’s 8th furlong unexpectedly slowed to 15.2 and  his live & anxious followers were trapped. Horses that were 6th, 7th, and 8th at the stretch call finished 1st, 2nd, 3rd.  #6 KOOTENAY ICE deserved to be the Fav based on recent strong performances but could not capitalize on a cozy 2nd over trip . No Excuses.

#5 RODEO KING, who sat faithfully behind EL PASO and finished 7th by 3 and was claimed back by S. Masse for less than half price. #4 with Masse driving, sat just to the right of RODEO until the wire. Was he interested in inspecting the horse he had just claimed ?

Race #8 Stretch drive. LAST three became FIRST three

Race #9, Highest purse of the night, Claiming 25-30K
#6-2-3 left hard  # 6 KG MATTATTACK made the top , then mid way 1st turn  #1 DOWN HOME HAMMER pulled FO; Q1 was 27.1 equalling fastest of night. The HAMMER remained parked & pushing the pace through the CHT and down the BS to 3Q in 1:24.  Early into the CHT RUGRAT & SHAMARDAL had joined the outer flow behind the parked HAMMER. At 3Q pole both RAT & SHAM went 3w around the cooked HAMMER. SHAM went by RUG to win going away by >3 lengths. The 8th furlong was 6/10ths faster than 7th furlong. A remarkable performance. HIGH TIME ASCOT could not go by KG MAT.

Race #10. NW5-6
#5 RS WILDCARD  claimed by Masse/Vinnell  from bottom claimers two starts back. Wins both starts going up  in class, WW. Pace profile has classic Slo-Mo Serge signature. Leaves fast in 27.1 slows Q2 down by 3& 4/5ths, speeds up Q3 by 3 seconds , velocity in Q4 only decelled by 1/5th and at 28.1, was the fastest Q4 of the night by a full second. AMAZING! Given that pace, it went 5-4-6 around the track.  OBLIVIOUS BOY did very well to overcome gap & impossible pace. Exacta 5-4 = $39, 5-6 would have paid $11 (See tight photo that decided that out-come)

MASSE,SERGE
BC - FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PACE
Date Issued : 18-APR-2009
Total Due : 315.00
Violation Occurred : Race 10 at FRASER DOWNS on 17-APR-2009 horse RED STAR WILDCARD

Race #12  Claiming 5-6K, F&M, Mutually Assured Destrution & Parimutuel Highlight

From the rail out:

1. ROCKET RACHAEL /Serge Slo-Mo Masse
2. SHESABOMBSHELL / Billy the Dad
3. A MIDNIGHT PROMISE / Billy the Kid

Why look any further. The program consensus said 1-2-3, and 42% of the exacta pool said [1-2] (paying $7)  Please see the amazing  replay. There was to much action to describe . Here’s my take.                                         (a)                  (b)                 (c)             (d)

3                   3               3-1             1
2-1-9               2-1-9              2–9        3-2-9

(See diagrams above.)

• #2 The Dad made the lead, #1 Slo-Mo took the pocket ,
• #3 The Kid left-a -little and felt he just might make the lead in front of Dad ( Hmmm ?).
• #1 Slo-Mo also figured he would, and pulled off the rail to follow even before #3 made the lead.

All this happened before 1Q pole in 27.2. Every quarter thereafter would be progressively slower

Slo-Mo, now parked , pushed for the lead down the front stretch.  Q2 is ususally a breather, but this one went in 28.4 , one of the night’s fastest.  But The Kid, on the lead, would/could not surrender. Thus, their Mutually Assured Destruction  was assured. The Dad, popped out of the pocket in the stretch, as expected, but only got third.

The eventual winner, #4 LUCKY JENNY (D.Hudon/W. Isbister), closed extremely wide and #8 RIVER CARD finished second by saving ground all race and getting loose in the lane.
There were only 7 winnings dollars in the exacta pool. ( 4-8 paid $585)
And 2 winning dollars in the Tri pool ( 4-8-2 paid $2472)

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Track Condition: The weather

Constant light, occasional moderate rain. Winds predominately light from the ENE.
The official track condition was described as Sloppyy , Variant 2 ( which meant 2 seconds ” were allowed” ). I reckon is was about 9/5ths of a second slow for lower classes and 5/5ths for higher. The surface was very wet & splashy, but not limestone slurrpy sloppy.

** Local Cloverdale weather station & area radar showing wide-spread rain **

* Dark gravel inside *

The Surface, Yesterday & Today

Yesterday, to deal with the overnight rain, it appeared (I wasn’t there) that the grader bladed the wet surface.  Drivers returned to the winners circle covered with the gooey grey limestone until the surface dried-out through . Today, it appears the Track Crew spread dark gravel over the inner 5/8 ths of the track (from the rail out to 5th starting position on the starting gate). The drivers were returning to the WC soaked by  translucent, grey water, not thick, slimy limestone. Notice the surface color difference in frame on the right (click to enlarge).

*** Fractional times & differences. Fractions are in 10ths of a second. Please Click to enlarge & print ***

Abbreviations used:
BS = back stretch, CHT = club house turn,  FO = first out,  GS = grandstand,. 
SGR = save ground rail, SOT = 2nd over trip, THT = 2 hole trip, WW = wire to wire.
> means faster than, < means slower than.  Q3 = 3rd quarter time, 3Q = 3rd quarter pole.
 Numbers preceded by decimal point are  fifths of a second.    

See replays:  http://fraserdowns.com/racing/replays/2008_2009/2009_04_12.aspx
See result charts:  http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/racing/results/data/r0412frdfn.dat  

Race #2 ( unoffical entry?)
P&P .#1 PARKER HALL parked (The Fav) and  #2 JOHNNY JOJO ( trainer TM Miller) , those two engaged in a  mutually assured - self destructive, pissing contest. Much to fast. Hmmmm… exactly the type of pace # 7 KALAHARI CHEETAH (Trainer TM Miller) likes to run at. Say it aint so that  #2 & #7 were running as an entry ?  CHEETAH  won by three paying $29.

His trainer TM Miller had strong stats last season and seems to overcoming a slow start this season. For this race the infield flags indicatd a good tail wind done the BS..

Race #3 “Nobody moves & Nobody gets hurt! “
#2 SHES RARIN (T. Brown/ D. INgram).  Downtown Brown spooked RARIN off the gate & got the front. Backed Q2 done to 31 seconds, the half in 59.2 ( both were the day’s slowest for those race segments). Naturally the second half accelerated. Therefore, it went #2-#1-#4 around the track.  In fact, only two of the seven horses changed positions between Q1 to the finish.  Exacta paid $9, Triactor $27.  Like they said in the olde cops & robbers films, “Nobody moves and Nobody gets hurt”.

Dave's AURA, K's Smile

Race #4
#8 LILKENT left large, took a THT behind #5 CELTIC BONNIE and “had horse” , pulling the pocket into the lane and finishing 5 lengths ahead of the field. Lot’s strange things (inquiry) happened behing him. Dave Hudon now appears in video frames with a star-burst AURA above his helmet. What does it mean ???
Update: It meant that in two weeks hence on 25 APR 09 he would guide KIAWAH to a new track record of 1:55.2 .

Race #5: NW2
#1 STOP CALLING ( Anderson/JJJ & Anderson) , won maiden last week in 1:57 by 8 lengths at 30 cents to a dollar.  Went WW today in 1:56. #6 HEALTHYANDWEALTHY (see comment on 29 MAR 09), raced a tough first out to gain second. #2 GARDEN GATE LL, showed the right stuff to finish 3rd by 4lengths. It was 4 more lengths back to 4th place finisher. Exacta $12.

Race #6: NW3 , F&M

Canadian Sportsman

 #9 LUVINAJIFFY ( Burke/Reg Wonnenberg). I reckon, Mr. Wonnenberg is a classic “Canadian Sportsman”. Reg bred, owns and usually drives the 4 year old mare. His UDRS  is .066. In their last start Reg aboard LUV finished 8th  by 15 lengths at odds of 58:1

Today, Reg entrusted the reigns to talented catch driver Jim Burke , the odds got boosted to 18:1.  From the trailing #9 post position Burke chose to follow #2 PROMISEMEAROSE who has show good gate speed. In a rare, bold maneuver JB gained the lead for the #9 hole ( see replay, it’s too hard to describe)  and then carries on to a WW victory. The 0.75:1 favorite just squeezed in for second. Exacta paid $135.  program consensus was 3-1-2-4, order of finish was 9-3-1-2-4

Race #7: NW4

METRO JEFF, bottom

The complete oposite of race #3’s slow/fast pace.  Here, Q1 went in 27 (1st 8th in 13) & the half in 57.2, both segments were close to today’s fastest .  Four horses left for the lead. #5 METRO JIFF & #4 APPEAR N DESTROY were parked some in the first turn.  DESTROY, briefly on the rail, pull by the GS and advanced FO to engage the leader, and remarkably he hung on for second.  A very strong effort. The two how following him in the outer flow finished 1st & 3nd, by going wide in the slowest Q4 of the day, 30.4 seconds. Meanwhile, METRO JIFF was buried in traffic and shuffled back to 7th by 6 lengths at the stretch call.  Hudon angled JEFF off the rail and scooted diagonally across the track to finish in the photo.  You gotta see the replay to believe it.

Race #8: NW5, F&M

UPBID along rail

#1 OUTLAW LIKE A LADY , WW in a slow/fast pace. Q2 was 3 seconds slower than Q1. Merely mortal outer flow horses couldn’t get at him on the BS that accelerated by 2.1 seconds. Those following along the rail, closed some in a Q4 that deccelerated by 1.3 seconds. UPBID HANOVER seemed helplessly buried & shuffled back to 5th @ the stretch call. Miracously, in the lane the two in front of him left the rail for a shot at the leader.  Their move opened up the rail and allowed UBID to rush up the rail for second.
 

Race #9:
#5 STILETTO HALL,  win WW . The only question was how slow would Q2 go. Well in it went in 30.2, 3 seconds slower than Q1, then Q3 went in 27.2, 3 seconds faster than Q2 ( only the open went faster in 27.1).  JAW DROPPER, FROM PP#3, took the THT behind STILETTO but couldn’t pass in the fastest Q4 of the day, 28.2.  In the lane, those two drew away from the rest of the field, so 8th/8th was likely faster than 7th/8th. (haven’t done that replay yet).

Race #10
#3 KIAWAH won with only minor urging piloted by D. Hudon who would have asked  if needed. A solid victory. Not many can over take the 0.65.1 odds leader, by going FO into a fast pace on a crumby track ( Q3 of 27.1 was fastest of the day) . In many ways  he’s seems just the right fit for this track’s Open company.

*** Warawee on Wire ***

Meanwhile, On the BS #5 WARAWEE ICEMAN appeard to choose staying the rail rather than following the outer flow. But at the stretch call that choice wasn’t woking out.  The chart has him buried 6th by 7 lengths. Further down the lane, as horse started to fan out, he got of the rail and manuvered for daylight. He cautiously approached the opening between #4 DUCCA & #6 LILSHARHSHOOTER. But that space wasn’t adequate until about 6 lengths before the wire. At that late point it appeared WARAWEE  finally lurched forward for third.

Race #10, WARAWEE ICEMAN, from buried to close finish. No room until after last frame on right

Race #11
With a claim filed on #3 ADMIRED BEAUTY, Davis turned her loose with a “pedal to the metal” effort.  A tactic Davis rarely uses. 1st half 55.3 & 2nd half 1:00.2 .   SILVERY BELL chased in a loose THT and finished 1st, 4 lengths in front of her.  

Owner N. Jiwan claimed BEAUTY back two starts after Davis haltered her.  A tit-for-tat claiming feud is going on between Davis and his former, now estranged owner.