Grey Sea toyed with her rivals in the $15,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred Pace at Century Downs, delivering a winning performance on on Friday, May 15 for the father and son, training and driving team of Gord and John Abbott.

Grey Sea, the favourite from the innermost post, left quickly and pocketed Stash The Cookies (Mike Hennessy) into a :27 opening panel then stole a 30-second breather. Down the backstretch, Poker Queen (Phil Giesbrecht) laid her cards on the table, quickly moving alongside the leader and pushing ahead at the three-quarters mark in 1:24.4. Poker Queen took a clear lead into the stretch but a resurgent Grey Sea came back on at the pylons to score in 1:54.1. Poker Queen held off Stash The Cookies, who finished with broken equipment, in photo for place less than a length behind the winner. 

After an impressive showing in last week's Mares Preferred where she missed by just a neck to Mademechangemymind, Grey Sea was sent postward as the 6-5 favourite this time out and delivered on her pari-mutuel promise, paying $4.70 to win.

A homebred for Seaspray Stables of Nanaimo, B.C., the seven-year-old Custard The Dragon-Preference mare, who is now two-for-seven on the season, earned her 30th career victory and lifted her bankroll to $279,890.

To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Century Downs.

(Standardbred Canada)