by Scott Waddell, publicity director, Exhibition Park

Saint John, NB — Magnetic Benka, owned by Ray Fraser of Moncton, equaled his lifetime mark on Saturday afternoon at Exhibition Park Raceway, taking the C$1,700 top class in 1:59³.

With the win, the four-year-old matched his best time ever taken this past winter at Flamboro Downs. Gilles Barrieau drives and trains the son of the tough race horse Happy Family.

Barrieau took him back at the early going as Johnney Six and Come On Scoot raced neck and neck to an opening half of :57⁴. He then tipped Magnetic Benka three wide up the backstretch and with a swooping move, had the lead before the final eighth of the mile. He drew away to win easily over a fast closing Drop The Gloves while Atom Jac N rallied for third.

It was one of two wins on the card for Barrieau as he scored with Dr. Robert Webster’s Island Yesimastorm as the horse was winning his third in four starts this season and equaled his mark of 2:03² taken earlier this year. He’s a son of This Cams For You out of the top producing mare, Exquisite Hanover. Quality Of Money was second, while Aran Islands grabbed third.

Mark Haig also had a great day as he scored a pair of wins. A Girl Named Deen, a three-year-old daughter of Quick Comeback recorded a maiden win as she scored in 2:05⁴. It was her fifth lifetime start and she is owned by Mel Land of scenic Hopewell Cape, N.B. Gift Of Gab held on gamely after cutting the mile for the deuce while the show spot went to Woodmere Nitedream.

Mark’s other win came with No Nonsense Now, who is arguably the top claiming horse at EPR this season. He earned a hard fought first over win for Gordon White as he bested the veteran pacer Stoney B and Black Snaker. Time of the mile was 2:04 and was the pacer’s seventh win of the year.

Wayne Watson, the third leading trainer at EPR this season, recorded another win as he clicked with the mare Goddess Sahbra in 2:03⁴. She scored a rare come from behind win to beat High Fashion and Allegro Carlita. Registered owner of the mare are That 70’s Stable.

Spudland Sherise, now owned by Paul Sewell, captured her fourth victory of the year as she scored a gate-to-wire win in 2:04², which equaled the filly’s best time of the year. This filly, a daughter of Chill Factor, has been the model of consistency with 12 of 17 starts in the top three.

Todd Trites, one of the most popular catch drivers on this circuit, scored a well deserved win with the small but rugged pacer Diamond Hard in 2:03⁴ as he out-dueled Katahdin Country through the lane. Third went to the consistent pacer Shang Hi Clyde.

Ricky Collins’ new acquisition Bobs Birthday continues to turn heads at EPR and scored yet another lopsided win for co-owner Scott Hubbard. He has now won two straight and lowered his season’s best to 2:02. Raw Deal was second in this heat with third going to Largo’s Son.

Next card of racing goes on August 14th as the track will be dark on August 7th in recognition of Woodstock’s annual race card going on Friday evening, August 6th, that will feature the Robert McCain Memorial Pace, featuring the best free for all pacers in the Maritimes with possible entries from Maine and Quebec.