Proving once again that she will be the filly to beat among this season’s three-year-old state-bred pacing set, John Carver’s Auniqueaquistion rolled to a very impressive three length victory over seven rivals in Friday’s $122,000 Filly Maywood Pace.

Getting away in a dangerous spot in fourth as Feel Like Dancing (Kyle Wilfong) zipped the field through an opening split in :27.2, driver Mike Oosting moved Auniqueaquistion to the outside just after the opening quarter where she picked up cover from Big Zipper (John DeLong).

“I was a little surprised with how hard several of them left out of there and then with the inside horse [State Street Liz] getting kind of steppy in the first turn that kind of put me in a tough spot,” explained Oosting. “I figured I was just going to have to tough it out first over, but then Big Zipper, who was stalled outside of us, continued on towards the front so I was able to grab some cover from her.”

With Feel Like Dancing starting to draw away from a tiring Big Zipper while putting up splits of :56.3 and 1:25, Oosting tipped the daughter of Cole Muffler and Shessoluvabull three-deep heading into the final turn.

“I didn’t want the lead horse getting away from us so I figured I better get my filly started up,” said Oosting. “I knew Kyle’s horse was going to be tough to catch if I didn’t get after her right away and my filly really got rolling once I asked her too.”

Charging around rivals, Oosting briefly ducked in behind Feel Like Dancing on the final turn before swinging to the outside again as the field straightened for home.

Quickly swallowing up the pacesetter, the Donna Lee Ozment-trained miss cruised right on by while under only mild urging from Maywood’s leading driver as she reported home with her fourth win in six tries this season. Feel Like Dancing was a game second while State Street Liz was third.

Now boasting a career record of eight wins and five seconds with earnings of $192,835 in just 14 starts, Oosting continues to marvel at Auniqueaquistion’s abilities.

“From Day 1 she’s acted like an aged mare when she’s out on the track,” said Oosting. “The biggest difference with her from last year to this year is she won’t slow down and wait on horses once she goes by them. She just continues to roll by them and she’s finishing up her miles much stronger because of it.”

Bet as though defeat was out of the question, Auniqueaquistion returned just $2.40, $2.10 and $2.10.

Elimination’s for next Friday’s $115,000 Maywood Pace for Illinois conceived and foaled three-year-old colts were also contested on Friday night with a total of 12 sophomores looking for eight starting spots in next week’s finale.

In the first elimination, Lynn and Barbara Wilfong and Brett and Candice Wilfong’s Crankin It Up continued his impressive second season roll as he reported home with an eye-catching three length victory in a career-best of 1:52.4.

The homebred son of Skydancer and Hanover overtook the pacesetting Fox Valley Norman (John DeLong) after pedestrian splits of :28.1 and :57.1 and then never looked back as he paced a back half in :55.2 while sprinting away from his rivals for his third win in eight starts. Mystical Walter (Casey Leonard) overcame all sorts of traffic problems to rally for the place spot while Fox Valley Norman was third. Also earning a spot in the final was the 2-5 favourite Fox Valley Elusiv (Dave Magee), who did not appear to be at his best on Friday night.

In the second elimination, driver Bobby Smolin used a perfect pocket sitting trip to get John and Mary Krasnican’s Big Brad home with a half-length triumph in 1:53.2.

The son of Henry Clay and One Sure Thing enjoyed a pocket ride while Silver Devil (Casey Leonard) led the field through splits of :28.1, :57 and 1:25.2. Finding room in the lane, Smolin urged the Bob Phillips trainee by the pacesetter in the closing yards to notch his fourth win in eight starts this year. Silver Devil held on for second while Darth Quaider (Mike Oosting) was third. Colechester (Dave Magee) was a distant fourth to earn the last spot in next week’s final.

(Maywood Park)