The second legs of the Blizzard Series and the Snowshoe Series went postward at Woodbine Racetrack on Thursday evening, with a trio of divisions contested in each of the events
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The girls were up first in the Blizzard Series, with Cocoa Beach drawing first blood for the tandem of driver Anthony MacDonald and trainer Dean Nixon.
The four-year-old Mach Three-Lils Surfergirl miss, who was treated to a ground-saving journey over the sloppy oval, out-sprinted the competition to the finish line one she found clearance in the lane. Emerald Rihanna and The Prophet Mary took turns on the lead through panels of :27.4, :57.2 and 1:26, but they couldn’t stave off Cocoa Beach in 1:55.2. Race favourite Shine N Shimmer finished in a dead-heat for place with Dreamfair Misty.
Claimed for $11,375 late last season by ICR Racing of Pefferlaw and Mike Timpano of Phelpston, ON, Cocoa Beach won for the sixth time in her career. The 1:55.2 clocking was a new lifetime mark for the career winner of $34,095.
Dean Nixon also watched Bee Fullof Steinam get the job done in the second division of the Blizzard Series, winning by 4-1/2 lengths in a career-best clocking of 1:54.1.
Sent off as the 6-5 favourite, the four-year-old daughter of Life Sign-Caliterra sat third behind The Summer Wind and Autumn Seelster who battled to the quarter pole in :28.1. The Summer Wind cleared to the lead, but quickly came under pressure from Bee Fullof Steinam. MacDonell took over the lead past the mid-way point in :57.1 with Bee Fullof Steinam, who led the field to the three-quarter pole in 1:26.1 before using a :28-second closing panel to seal the deal. The Summer Wind was next best, with third prize going to Autumn Seelster.
ICR Racing, Mike Timpano and Anthony Leber share ownership on the six-time winner, who upped her lifetime earnings to $36,180 with the win.
Rock Ann Rolling pulled off a 6-1 upset in the final division of the Blizzard Series for the combination of driver Sylvain Filion and trainer Victory Puddy.
Race favourite D Gs Tinkerbell shot the lead and served up soft fractions of :28.1, :58.3 and 1:27, but she couldn’t fend off the pocket-sitting Rock Ann Rolling in the closing strides. Rock Ann Rolling used a :28.2 closing quarter to win by a head over D Gs Tinkerbell in 1:55.3. Third prize went to Artistic Music.
Tracy Brainard of De Leon Springs, FL and Scott West of Vernon, NY share ownership on the four-year-old daughter of Rocknroll Hanover-Mymas Jackpot. The four-time winner has managed to bank in excess of $45,000 in her career.
Pisti turned a two-hole trip into a 1:54.3 in the opening division of the Snowshoe Series for the team of driver Keith Oliver and trainer John Pentland.
Piston Broke and Some Mach Some Win battled to the quarter pole in a :27-second clip before the latter backed off and found a seat at the rail. Piston Broke continued to lead the way through middle splits of :56 and 1:25.3, and during that time Oliver was licking his lips with Pisti perfectly positioned in the two-hole. Pisti angled out of the pocket in the stretch and used a :28.3 closing panel to secure the win by a length.
Trainer John Pentland of Dorchester co-owns the homebred with the CJS Stables Inc of London, ON. The four-year-old son of Camluck-Dexter Doll won for the third time in his career while bumping his earnings to $46,760.
Cobalt Man turned a two-hole trip into a one-length score in the second division for the duo of driver Scott Zeron and trainer Jason Robinson.
The four-year-old son of Rocknroll Hanover-Lady Indigo stalked C Major Hanover through splits of :26.4, :57 and 1:25.1 before popping out of the pocket and using a :28.2 final quarter to get the edge over the tempo-setter. Weigh The Odds took home the show dough.
Robert Main of McDonald, PA owns the gelding, who extended his winning streak to three-in-a-row. The eight-time winner has stashed away more than $85,000 in his career.
Modern Legend was much the best in the final division for driver Jack Moiseyev, who mapped out a fourth consecutive victory for the Dave Drew trainee.
Moiseyev got away third with the four-year-old son of Modern Art-Ruby Cam while Manchester Hanover carved out the opening quarter in :26.4. Moiseyev went on the attack in the backstretch with the favourite, and Modern Legend was in charge at the half in :55.3. He proceeded to lead the field to the three-quarter pole in 1:24.3 and then used a :28.3 closing panel to seal the deal by 3-1/2 lengths . Gunpowder came on late to finish second, with Manchester Hanover finishing third.
The homebred gelding, who is owned by Dave Drew Associates Inc of St Catherines, ON, went 5-for-9 last season and is now 2-for-2 to start his 2012 campaign. The $15,000 boosted his cash stash to $101,085.
The $50,000 final of the Snowshoe Series is slated for Saturday, January 21, while the $50,000 final of the Blizzard Series goes Monday, January 23.
To view results for Thursday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Thursday Results – Woodbine Racetrack.