A Better Game ($3.30) circled all five of her rivals en route to a 1:56.4 win on Sunday (June 27) at Clinton Raceway, earning a berth in next week's Kin Pace for Ontario-sired three-year-old fillies in the act.

The daughter of Betterthancheddar, whom Doug McNair drove for trainer Blake MacIntosh, got away last in her $7,500 Kin Pace elimination, but had no trouble chasing down cover from Ms Meaghan Sparkel (Tyler Moore) early in the second circuit before launching a three-wide bid into pacesetter Sweet Pink (Jonathan Drury) nearing the 1:28.1 three-quarter mark. A Better Game duelled into the lead just above the eighth pole, and maintained it over Sweet Pink at the end of a 1:56.4 mile, prevailing by a half length. Ms Meaghan Sparkel finished third, 2-1/2 lengths farther back.

MacIntosh co-owns A Better Game with John Nizlek and Ridgeway Racing.

Unlike A Better Game, Saulsbrook Olympia ($2.40) and Jackieofalltrades ($3.00) used front-end tactics to secure victory in their respective Kin Pace eliminations.

Saulsbrook Olympia and Brett MacDonald rated a :58.4 first half before steadily widening her lead up the far side, gaining seven lengths of clearance over fading pocket rival Havartiwon (Nick Steward) — who finished third — before eventual runner-up Divine Deo (James MacDonald) closed to within 4-1/2 lengths at the end of a 1:57.1 mile.

Brian Lee trains Saulsbrook Olympia, a daughter of Big Jim, for the Saulsbrook Stables Inc.

Jackieofalltrades was rated through a :59.2 first half by Robert Shepherd and made easy work of the first-over Treasures Gem (Ryan Desroche) before evading pocket rival Sports Duchess (McNair) by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:57.1. Bet Light (James MacDonald) finished third, 5-1/2 lengths farther behind.

Trainer Anthony Beaton shares ownership of Jackieofalltrades, a daughter of Betterthancheddar, with David Mercer and David Lumsden.

The field for next Sunday's (July 4) $58,300 Kin Pace final reads as follows:

1. Jackieofalltrades (Shepherd)
2. Bet Light (Drury)
3. Sports Duchess (Jody Jamieson)
4. Saulsbrook Olympia (Brett MacDonald)
5. A Better Game (McNair)
6. Havartiwon (Steward)
7. Sweet Pink (Drury)
8. Divine Deo (Sylvain Filion)

A pair of first-round Ontario Prospect Series events buoyed the undercard, with odds-on favourites Watch My Beverage ($2.80) and Sauble Attack ($2.30) both proving decisive winners.

Watch My Beverage (McNair) rode the pocket in the first division before angling up the backstretch to engulf Pretty Boy Duke (Colin Kelly) just before reaching three-quarters in 1:28.2. The Hes Watching gelding strode clear steadily to evade Country Boy Tough (Natasha Day) by 5-1/2 lengths in 1:57.2 for trainer Gregg McNair and the partnership of Dean Lockhard, Jeffery Ruch and Paul Hawman. Editorial (Travis Henry) finished third.

Sauble Attack (Anthony Haughan) controlled the terms outright in the second division, edging away steadily to defeat pocket rival Combatant (MacDonald) by 3-3/4 lengths in 1:58.1. Snap Call (Day) finished third, beaten a farther 2-1/2 lengths. Otis Hall trains the Bettors Delight gelding for owners and breeders Sauble Hill Farms and Nasussito Racing Inc.

The afternoon's top overnight race, a $5,500 Preferred 3 Handicap Pace, saw Adore Him sprint clear from his assigned post 7 and parry a sustained challenge from Carsons Shadow to register a 1:57.3 win — his third in a row and the 37th of his career. Travis Henry drove the nine-year-old Shadow Play gelding for owner Robert Blake and trainer Curt Blake.

To view Sunday's complete results, click the following link: Sunday Results – Clinton Raceway.