Claude Hamel's homebred three-year-old filly Hp Sissy ($2.70) stepped up in competition to the $10,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred 2 Handicap Pace at Flamboro Downs on Wednesday evening (November 9) and earned her second straight win in front-end fashion. The victory in the second race feature kicked off a five-win performance for driver Bob McClure.
Fresh off a victory in the Preferred 3 last week, 1-5 favourite Hp Sissy forged to the front from post four and led her four foes through panels of :27.1, :57.3 and 1:26.4 en route to the one and a half length victory in 1:56.1. Aintsheasweetie and Billy Davis Jr. closed off the cover of Sing Like An Angel and Travis Cullen to finish second.
Hp Sissy now boasts wins in one-third of her 21 sophomore starts and earnings of $78,720. Ben Baillargeon trains the Up The Credit-Monica Blue Chip filly while Hamel, of Ayer's Cliff, Que., shares ownership with Michel Damphousse of Louiseville, Que.
The $7,500 Preferred 3 was won by Choose My Jet ($22.60) and driver Alfie Carroll. Joe Pereira trains the four-year-old Jeremes Jet-Sweet Potato Chips mare, who turned back all challengers to win in 1:57.2, for owners John MacMillan and 2099551 Ontario Inc. Choose My Jet is one of three horses currently with 17 wins this year -- second-most in North America as three horses are tied atop the leaderboard with 18 wins.
Carroll and McClure won alternate races through the first half of the program before McClure reeled off three straight to push his win count to five on the night and 190 this year at Flamboro. McClure holds the lead in the local driver standings while Carroll sits second with 153. Both reinsmen remain in a close race for the national title, with Carroll holding the slight lead, 477-469.
To view Wednesday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Wednesday Results - Flamboro Downs.