 Sam Shirley
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 Trainer Jim Brown |
 Ron Bilodeau |
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Princeton Sunflower Downs 2000 It was the best of Interior Horse Racing on a cold day in July. People huddle in the Grandstand with blankets as the overcast sky and a stiff breeze held back summer heat. The Racing was great and the fans bet with both hands tripling handles and attendance marks for the interior 2000 season. It was a day of contests between mostly Vancouver and Washington State based horses horses as people celebrated the Canada Day weekend. The Treasure of the Interior, the Similkameen Cup, was a four horse race but what a race! Trainer Dave Milburn sent out a pair to try to capture the Cup. Storming to Victory was sent the front end and was pressed for 3/4Õs by Mischievousmarniner. Mischievousmarniner then tried to hold back the other part of the entry Penalty Killer who had moved between horses. The pair fought down the stretch but a fast closing Etched in Brass closed swiftly on the outside in the final strides to nail the victory. Etched in Brass was the winner by head over Penalty Killer who was a head in front Mischievousmarnier. Etched In Brass is owned and trained by Alex Murray of Vancouver. It was the sixth Similkameen winner for jockey Ron Bilodeau who also won two other races on the card. Trainer Jim Brown of the coast had very successful day. Brown conditioned chargers won the Volunteers Race, the Luke Gibson and the Tulameen Cup all in handy fashion. rider Sam Shirley was aboard for all the scores. In VolunteerÕs Exe,owned by Brian Heaney, took control from the start. Shirley came right back in the Luke Gibson with Joy PowerÕs Morning Pearl, pressing the pace from the break before taking command and winning in hand. Hole In One StableÕs Little Duke made the Tulameen Cup seem like a stroll on the golf course. Little Duke took command at the break, drew off and won easily. American trained horses won four of the nine races adding to the international flavour of Canada Day weekend. In the first Eric CrofootÕs Jammin Janie came from off the pace with jockey Jackie Smith. Monte BurbackÕs Staged Reality closed well to win the second. Trained by Jim McDonnell, Staged Reality was ridden by Sam Shirley. Only three horses contested the Quarter Horse race but it was Chan StClairÕs good looking Forbidden Affair who prevailed. All three were just two heads apart, with jockey Ron Bilodeau keeping Forbidden Affair to the task. Monte Burbank won his second of the day with Indigo Knight who was ridden by Ron Bilodeau. The other Canadian winner was Sonny Johnson & Jack SpringfordÕs I Have A Dream in the third. The only mare in the maiden I Have A Dream was ridden Melissa Wilson, It was a good day of racing that saw a handle
of $26,480, up by $5000 from the previous year. The crowd
was a hungry one and nothing was left with an fridge bye the
end of the day. Princeton was a breath of fresh air for interior
racing. Horsemen and Racing organizers created a wonderful
racing atmosphere for the 36th annual Sunflower Downs race
day.
Princeton’s Racing Tradition
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