Costa Rica took advantage of a perfect two-hole trip to capture Sunday night’s $475,000 final of the Peaceful Way Trot for two-year-old fillies

at Mohawk Racetrack in 1:55.

Driver Ron Pierce left hard with the daughter of Muscles Yankee-Examination in search of the lead but race favourite Poof Shes Gone had other ideas and took charge through the torrid opening quarter of :27 seconds with Costa Rica forced to take the pocket position.

The leader then went unchallenged through an opening half in :57.1 before facing her first pressure in the third quarter in the form of Tequila Slammer. Poof Shes Gone continued to lead as the field turned for home but could not get away on her rivals this week.

Pierce was able to find a seam with his filly and brought her to the outside to challenge. The top two battled bravely to the finish with Costa Rica getting up in the last stride for the narrow decision over Poof Shes Gone. It was another length back to longshot Perfect Chance who finished third.

“I wasn’t sure if I could get by her [Poof Shes Gone] or not because she’s an awful nice filly,” said Pierce. “Tonight I could see in the first turn that I wasn’t going to loop her. Dave had his hands full so as soon as I got in on his back I thought I had a really good chance.

“My filly felt really good. She was trotting nice and square. Takter [winning trainer Jimmy Takter] had her really sharp and it worked out good. At the head of the stretch, the horse that was first over bore out just enough for me to slip out. I figured right then I was probably going to win the race.”

It was the eighth win in just 11 starts this season for Costa Rica who returned $7.60 for the win. The lion’s share of the purse boosted her seasonal bankroll to just over $800,000 for owners Christina Takter of New Jersey and John and Jim Fielding of Toronto, Ontario.

Earlier on the card in the $50,000 Peaceful Way Consolation, Angostura thrashed her rivals with a 1:57 effort for driver Trevor Ritchie. The win was a measure of satisfactions for the connections after the filly was disqualified following a win her elimination a week ago due to a violation of Ontario’s new rules surrounding the urging of horses.

Ritchie had no such worries tonight as his filly was simply on cruise control throughout to record her fourth win in six starts for trainer Dan Creighton and the Danterra Racing Stables of Strathroy, Ontario. The win pushed her seasonal bankroll to just over $166,0000.

(WEG)

To view Sunday’s harness racing results, click here.