The countdown to the first six-figure stakes event of the season for Illinois-conceived and foaled pacers started on Thursday night at Maywood Park, as a total of 13 three-year-old fillies squared off in a pair of $10,000 Filly Maywood Pace eliminations.

The top four finishers in each of the two divisions will return on Friday, June 14 for the $122,000 (estimated) finale.

The opening split provided a thrilling finish, and when the results were posted it was too close to split, as favoured Big Zipper and second choice Feel Like Dancing hit the finish line on even terms. The final time was 1:55.4.

Big Zipper (driven by Robert Smolin) was sent right to the front from her inside starting spot and the daughter of Big Green Machine-Secret Dial proceeded to rattle off splits of :27.3, :57 and 1:26.1.

With the Violet Stakes elimination winner Feel Like Dancing (Kyle Wilfong) sitting right on her back after finding a great early spot from Post 7, the two fillies hooked up in a spirited stretch duel.

Battling tooth and nail down to the wire, the two fillies hit the tape on even terms with Mystical Danica (Mike Oosting) rallying for the show dough. Zumba (Casey Leonard) finished fourth.

The win was the seventh in 16 starts for Big Zipper, who is owned and trained by Robert Phillips.

Feel Like Dancing (Skydancer Hanover-Fox Valley Funny) now boasts six wins and two seconds in nine starts this year for the partnership of Roy Drevs and Brett and Candice Wilfong.

In the second division, John Carver’s Auniqueaquistion left no doubt as to who was the best in this division, as the good looking daughter of Cole Muffler-Shessoluvabull romped to a five and a half-length victory in 1:55.1 for driver Mike Oosting.

Moving first over for the final five-eighths of the mile, the Donna Lee Ozment trainee engaged the pacesetting Five Stars Queen (Brian Carpenter) as that filly sped through splits of :27.3, :57.1 and 1:25.4.

Overpowering the leader on the far turn, Auniqueaquistion rolled right by the tiring leader and continued to widen her margin through the lane as she reported home with her third win in five tries this year. State Street Liz (Robert Smolin) moved up three wide on the far turn and rallied nicely for the place money while Five Star Queen was a distant third. R Ciao Baby (Casey Leonard) was fourth.

Auniqueaquistion now sports a career record of six wins and five seconds in 13 starts with earnings of $131,835.

A pair of carryovers from Thursday’s card will give fans a chance to play for some big cash on Friday night at Maywood Park. Thursday’s Pick-4 was not hit, so a total of $8,480 will be added to the jackpot and the Pick 4 guarantee will be raised to $25,000. The 10-cent Pick-6 also went unclaimed on Thursday night, so there will be a carryover of $1,113 in that pool. Post time for Friday’s opener at Maywood Park is 7:10 p.m. (central).

(With files from Maywood)