Trotting fillies and female drivers took centre stage on Saturday, July 11 at Hanover Raceway as the track hosted its annual Harness The Hope card of harness racing in support of breast cancer awareness.

The 12-dash card featured four $30,000 divisions of Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots splits as well as a pair of $10,000 Prospect Series divisions for three-year-old trotting fillies.

Elbows Up ($5.20; pictured above) converted a second-over trip from driver Jonathan Drury to connect in the first Grassroots division for trainer Shawn Steacy. As Miss Mass Appeal (Jason Ryan) set fractions of :28.4, :59.2 and 1:28.4, Elbows Up launched from the cover provided by Love Wins (Tyler Jones) after the third station and collared her rivals in the lane for the 1:59.3 score. Miss Mass Appeal stayed for second, two lengths off the leader, with Lookstobemagic (Lorne House) recovering impressively from a break in stride down the backside to nab show dough.

A daughter of Muscle Mass-Vegas Virgin owned by Ontario-based Doug Clark of  Mississauga, Mark Steacy and Cara Steacy of Landsdowne and Guy Haskell of Guelph, Elbows Up is now a five-time winner in her career with $86,550 in earnings.

Look A Diamond ($14) and driver Louis Gregg found themselves on top of the field and all by themselves in the second Grassroots division after five of the seven fillies made breaks in the first eighth of the mile. Leading by 10 lengths at the first quarter, Look A Diamond chopped out honest fractions of :28.2, :58.3 and 1:29 before comfortably closing in :31.3 for the 2:00.3 tally.  HP Imagine (Austin Sorrie) minded her manners to finish 1-1/4 lengths back in second with Very Sassy (Todd Ratchford) bumped up into third.

A homebred conditioned by owner Peter Hamiton of London, Ont., Look A Diamond (Lookslikeachpndale-Black Diamond Star) scored her seventh career victory and lifted her earnings over the $60,000 plateau.

The public had it right in the third division, sending off Upgrade ($3) as the 1-2 choice and the daughter of Green Manalishi S - Uptown Classic delivered on that hype with a 2:03.3 victory. Todd Ratchford sent Upgrade to the top from the rail, yielded to Timeless (Austin Sorrie) through a :30.3 first quarter then lopped back to the lead heading to the three-eighths. After middle fractions of 1:03.1 and 1:33.4, Upgrade had plenty left in reserve to hold off pocket-popping Timeless in the stretch to win by a length.  Just All Out (J.R. Plante) completed the triactor ticket.

Owned by Al Libfeld of Pickering and Brad Grant of Milton, Ont., Upgrade is now a four-time winner with $75,444 in earnings. Matt Bax trains.

Bella Chica ($3) landed on the lead just before the :29.4 first panel and then played a successful (or unsuccessful, depending on your viewpoint) game of catch-me-if-you-can with her six rivals. After middle panels of 1:01 and 1:30.2, a :29.2 closer sealed the deal, with the 1:59.4 victory giving the daughter of Lookslikeachpndale-Wheely Twicky her fourth straight win. Rare Legacy (Louis-Philippe Roy) finished 4-1/2 lengths back in second , just ahead of Myretirementalarm (Paul MacKenzie).

A homebred of Brenda German and trainer Corrie German of Clinton, Ont., Bella Chica is a nine-time winner with $88,577 in purses earned.

Hanover also hosted the third leg of the Prospect Series for three-year-old trotting fillies on Saturday. Saraquel ($6.10) prevailed in the first division, winning in 2:01.3 for driver Ryan Holliday and trainer Dave Holliday. Silver Pride ($4.10) delivered as the public choice in the second split, winning in 1:59.3 for driver Samuel Fillion and trainer Jean-Francois Maguire.

As part of the stakes undercard on Harness The Hope Day, Hanover Raceway held four races consisting solely of female drivers. Marielle Enberg converted as the public choice in the first two dashes, winning with Keystone Dakota (1:58; $4.10) in the ninth and My Little Friend (2:00.4; $3) in the 10th race. Julie Walker teamed with public choice Better B Something (2:00.3; $3.10) in the 11th to continue the parade of favourites, but Anita Ouellette finished the card with some fireworks in the finale aboard 20-1 shot Peter Crown, winning wire-to-wire in 2:01.3 while paying $43.70.

For the full results from the card of harness racing in Hanover on Saturday, click the following link: Saturday Results - Hanover Raceway.

(Standardbred Canada)