Driver Blake Piwniuk and trainer Trevor Williams dominated the Saturday, July 25 card at Miami Fair with four wins as a team and six total for Piwniuk, including the co-featured $4,100 Fillies and Mares Open Handicap Pace with Always Gonna B You.

That seven-year-old Always A Virgin-Passing Fancy mare started fifth in a :29.4 quarter, moved up uncovered past the half in 1:00.1 to be second at three-quarters in 1:29, and vaulted past pacesetter Kootenay Cocoa (Michel Rey) on the way to a six-length victory in 1:59. Kootenay Cocoa held second from Hurry Home (Darryl Mason).

Always Gonna B You has romped in both distaff Opens at Miami in her two starts since joining the Williams barn and heading to Manitoba. The mare, owned by Tara Isman of Gladstone, Man., Garett Isman of Calgary, Alta. and Williams, is three-for-eight this season. Saturday’s victory brought her career record to 26 wins from 119 starts with $651,177 in earnings. She paid $2.20 to win.

Piwniuk was on fire from the word go, scooping the first five races on the 10-race program. He swept the early double with the Clayton Braybrook-trained Chics Dragon Flies ($8.50) and Aurel Vodon pupil Rock N The Trailer ($7.10), then won three straight for Williams. After the Open victory in the third race, Piwniuk and Williams teamed up for victories with Take Out Hanover ($2.10) in the fourth and Justcruiseonbye ($3.90) in the fifth. They combined once more on the card, winning the ninth race with Credit Is Magic ($2.20) to complete a grand slam for Williams and tack a sixth victory onto Piwniuk’s account.

Piwniuk and Williams’ Saturday exploits completed a prolific two-day Miami meet for the pair, who combined for five victories on last week’s card. Piwniuk won his final three starts on the prior Miami program and went six-for-eight this weekend, giving him nine wins over his last 11 drives — he also hit the board in those two losses. The resident of Roblin, Man. is 30-for-131 overall this year for a 22.9 per cent strike rate.

Williams, who listed Piwniuk on all of his Miami starters, won nine of his 11 starts at the track, including two Opens with Always Gonna B You. The Landmark, Man.-based conditioner started his season with the Miami meet and therefore boasts a .868 UTRS and 81.8 per cent win rate this year.

Saturday’s other Open, a $4,100 event for pacing horses and geldings, went to Ginger Tree Finny, who completed a sweep of the Miami Opens for his sex. The eight-year-old son of Captaintreacherous-Ideal Weather again went to the front for Michel Rey, led through :30, :59.1 and 1:28.4 fractions and resisted Van Goghing Fast (Marc Fillion) to win by a quarter-length in 1:59.2. Loaded Dragon (Piwniuk) finished third.

Ginger Tree Finny is undefeated at Miami, having gone two-for-two in the track's Opens last season. The gelding was racing in Ontario until shipping west to the care of trainer Richard Rey for owner Laverne Turnbull of Kitchener, Ont., and he is now five-for-19 this year. He tallied his 29th career victory and upped his bankroll to $229,475 in his 132nd start. He paid $2.40 to win.

To view Saturday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Miami Fair.

(Standardbred Canada; photo of Always Gonna B You after winning on July 18)