Designer Dreams and trainer/driver Ed Hensley needed every inch of the racetrack to haul down Sweet Hedge en route to capturing Saturday’s $25,000 Penny Bath Memorial for four-year-old pacing mares at Fraser Downs
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Sweet Hedge and Red Star Brooklyn battled to the opening quarter in :27.3 before the latter cleared to the lead. Sweet Hedge came right back around as soon as the field passed in front of the grandstand, and she came under immediate pressure from a parked out Allamerican Crush. They locked horns at the mid-way point in :57.3, but Sweet Hedge wasn’t in the mood to give up the lead again.
Sweet Hedge quickly put away Allamerican Crush well before she tripped the beam at the three-quarter pole in 1:26.2. By that point Sweet Hedge was under siege from Designer Dreams, who tipped out from second over and made a bold three-wide move towards the pacesetter. A 30-second final quarter proved to be just enough for Designer Dreams to prevail by a head in 1:56.3. Sweet Hedge was a determined runner-up with Camerlengo closing to finish third.
Sent off as the 4-5 favourite, Designer Dreams found her way to the winner’s circle for the second time in three trips behind the starting gate this season. The seven-time winner has banked more than $44,000 in her career for Hensley and the J J J Stables of Aldergrove, BC.
Earlier on the program Rossridge Tristar took home top prize in this week’s edition of the $13,000 Fillies & Mares Open Pace for trainer/driver Barry Treen. The six-year-old daughter of Mach Three, who is owned by the Estate of Niele Jiwan of Burnaby, BC, sat last throughout the first half of the seven-mare affair before circling the field en route to posting the career-best clocking of 1:53.4. Red Star Hottie was second and race favourite Lickcreek Jazzy rounded out the top three.
It was third win of the season in as many tries for the 16-time winner, who has now strung together four consecutive victories. She has put away $19,500 in earnings already this season and more than $207,000 to date.
To view Saturday’s results, click here.