Thirteen sophomores strutted their stuff at Woodbine Racetrack on Friday evening, as the Mega City oval hosted a set of $20,000 eliminations

for this year’s Youthful Stakes.

Sent off as the 3-5 favourite in the opening split, Im Feelin Good marched to the lead and didn’t look back en route to an effortless score in 1:54 for the tandem of driver Randy Waples and trainer Dave Menary.

The gelded son of Mr Feelgood-Im The Goto Girl laid down fractions of :27.4, :57.2 and 1:26.3 before turning on the afterburners and firing home in :27.3 to win in under-wraps fashion. Panda Man sat a pocket trip throughout and wound up second best, with Manchester Hanover fading to finish third after making a first-over bid.

The victory was the third of the season in six starts for this year’s Junior Trendsetter Series champion, who has yet to miss the board in 2011 for the partnership of Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Howard Taylor and Ronald Mersky. The pacer has banked $83,325 to date.

Heavily favoured Calgary Seelster didn’t disappoint in the second elimination for the duo of driver Phil Hudon and trainer Murray Preszcator. In fact, the son of Modern Art-Cmon Mama Cass was a shut-down winner in 1:54.

Hudon tucked the colt into an early three-hole while Cobalt Man rolled the group to the quarter pole in a :27-second clip, and shortly past that marker Hudon called on his colt to go into sprint mode. The pacer complied by charging to the lead and laying down middle panels of :56.1 and 1:25.4. He used a :28.1 kicker on the end of the mile to win convincingly over Fox Valley Yukon and Cobalt Man

The winning streak is now five-in-a-row and counting for Calgary Seelster, who is owned by Preszcator of London, ON. After being unraced as a rookie, the colt has come out firing on all cylinders this season as noted in the 5-1-0 record he has manufactured from just seven trips postward. The recently winner of the Apaches Fame Stakes has potted in excess of $72,000 to date.

The top five finishers from each elimination advance to next Friday's final.

$60,000 Youthful Stakes Final
1. See Me Now
2. D M Bodatious
3. Calgary Seelster
4. Im Feelin Good
5. Manchester Hanover
6. Playin Time
7. Cobalt Man
8. Panda Man
9. Putnams Art
10. Fox Valley Yukon

To view results for Friday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Friday Results – Woodbine Racetrack.