Fan favourites Amora Hanover and Shes A Fan captured their respective Bud Light Stakes division for three-year-old filly pacers on Friday night at Flamboro Downs while To Helen Back appeared to be the leading lady in the Ellamony eliminations for aged pacing mares.

The first of two $45,887 Bud Light Stakes division went to Amora Hanover and Mark MacDonald, who was on the move early from Post 2. The daughter of Western Ideal settled on top at the :28-second quarter pole just ahead of Stonebridge Breeze (Scott Coulter). The Mark Harder pupil put up the remaining panels of :57.3 and 1:25.4 as Northern Duchess (Mike Saftic) applied pressure on the outside. As the field passed three-quarters, a rough-gaited Northern Duchess backed down leaving Amora Hanover to coast home in :28.3 for the two-length score in 1:54.2.

Stonebridge Breeze was the runner-up with Allamerican Damsel (Doug Brown) rounding out the top three.

“She’s a super nice filly. It’s the first time I ever drove her,” said MacDonald following the race. “She’s just got a great big gait and she’s a big, long filly and is just very nice to drive.

“I wasn’t so sure how she’d handle it [the half-mile track] since she’s so big. I scored her down and she felt really good. She zipped around the turns like nothing.”

The win improved Amora Hanover’s sophomore record to 6-1-3 in 14 starts and pushed her bankroll to $105,192 for owners Garth Bechtel of Caledon and Glenn Bechtel of Kingston, Ont.

In the second division, Jody Jamieson put Shes A Fan on the lead from Post 2 and the daughter of Artiscape rolled through intervals of :28, :57.4 and 1:26.3 en route to her fourth victory in five starts this year. She used a :27.4 final frame to win in 1:54.2 for trainer Carl Jamieson, who also shares ownership with Thomas Kyron of Toronto, Hope Johnson of London, Ont. and George Harrison of Preston, England.

Terroronthebeach (Mark MacDonald) finished two and a half lengths back in second off a pocket trip while Shellace (Mike Whelan) nabbed the show spot.

Shes A Fan, a winner of nine races and $197,196, is Hip #75 in Standardbred Canada’s Spring Fling Mixed Sale this Sunday, June 14 at the SC Sales Pavilion at Flamboro.

Jamieson said he expects a filly like Shes A Fan to go for over $200,000 in the sale, but says the bidders will ultimately decide what she’s worth.

“You never turn down a good price. They’re all here to make money not to have pets,” said Jamieson.

A pair of $20,000 Ellamony eliminations for aged pacing mares were also featured on Friday night and To Helen Back showed some serious speed in her split.

Sent postward as the 3-5 favourite, To Helen Back did not disappoint her backers when she stormed home :28.2 to capture the first elimination for trainer John Pentland and owners Mike and Anne Shunock of Dorchester, Ont. in 1:52.3. The time of the mile equaled the track record for aged pacing mares previously set by Illusionist.

Driven by Mike Saftic, the six-year-old Astreos mare got away third from Post 5 as Windsun Countess (Doug Brown) and Alexis Hall (Keith Oliver) battled for the early lead. With the inside advantage, Alexis Hall settled on top, but Blissful Smile (Jody Jamieson) drove on to the claim the lead by the :27.2 opening quarter. From there, Saftic moved his charge into action and advanced on the outside through middle panels of :55.2 and 1:23.3 before unleashing a strong closing kick to come on for the win in the final strides.

Blissful Smile finished three-quarters of a length back in second and Pink Kangaroo (Scott Coulter) came on for third.

The win was To Helen Back’s first on a half-mile track and Saftic says she handled the turns better than he expected.

“She feels like it [she’s coming into her own]. I didn’t drive her early in her career, but she’s a better mare this year than she was last year,” he said in the post-race interview.

To Helen Back now sports a 2009 record reading 3-4-1 in nine starts with $102,180 earned. The bay notched her 20th career win and lifted her bankroll to $895,850.

With Scott Coulter at the lines, Double Dream N turned back a challenge from Chancey Lady (Mark MacDonald) en route to victory in the second elimination.

The eight-year-old daughter of Dream Away left smartly from the four-hole and put up the first quarter in :27.2. The 4-1 third choice then led the way to the half in :56.4, where Chancey Lady angled out from fourth and advanced steadily during the third interval. She matched strides with the pacesetter at the three-quarters in 1:24.3, but Double Dream N shook loose down the stretch and prevailed by two and three-quarter lengths in 1:52.4.

The pocket-sitting Ladycino (Jody Jamieson) finished second and Chancey Lady was third.

The win improved Double Dream N’s 2009 record to 3-6-4 in 19 outings and lifted her earnings to $134,546. Darren James McCall trains the winner of 27 races and $543,277 while in Canada for Redmak Enterprises LLC of Ossining, New York.

“She is so good on a half and can jump right out of the gate and has a lot of staying power,” said owner Rick Agid.

“Surprisingly she’s got a [1]:49 and a piece mark at the Meadowlands and she’s actually good on every size track.

“Obviously, next week we hope to walk away with the trophy and after that maybe we’ll leave her at Mohawk for a week or two and then back to Yonkers,” he continued.

The $130,000 (est.) Ellamony Stakes final will take place next Friday, June 19.

To view Friday's results, click here.