Indiana Sires Stakes graduate Tells On A Roll earned her first Canadian victory for trainer Jodie Cullen while defeating the top distaffers at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Friday evening, Jan. 19 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Driven by Cullen's son Travis, Tells On A Roll was put in play off the gate from post four in the featured $36,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred Handicap and cleared early leaver Shes Got It All (Scott Young) in the first turn with Dabarndawgswatchin (Louis-Philippe Roy) parked and pressing outside to take over after they passed the quarter pole in :27.2.
Dabarndawgswatchin stole a second quarter breather to the half in :56 before sprinting to three-quarters in 1:23.4 with Tells On A Roll hot on her heels while those two gained some separation from their foes in the final turn.
A stretch duel ensued as Travis Cullen tipped Tells On A Roll from the pocket and eventually wore down Dabarndawgswatchin to prevail by three-quarters of a length in 1:52 flat over the 'good' track. Shes Got It All rounded out the top three, finishing half a dozen lengths behind. The 4-5 favourite, So Much More, finished seventh.
Tells On A Roll was sent postward as the 9-2 third choice in her four-year-old debut and paid $11.60 to win.
Returning to action off a three-week layoff, the Tellitlikeitis-Have Rock Willroll mare earned her 10th career win from 27 starts and boosted her bankroll to $366,006.
The Indiana champion was purchased by the Cullens at the end of her sophomore campaign and closed out her season with a close runner-up finish to divisional darling So Much More in the Mares Preferred. Friday's victory was no surprise for the Cullens, who enjoyed a similar success story after acquiring the Indiana-sired mare Need To Breathe, winner of multiple Preferreds and more than $150,000 last year.
"[Tells On A Roll] felt pretty good. She was a bit of a project when we first got her -- she was just tying up -- but I think we got her on the right track now," said Travis Cullen, who shares ownership with his father Ron and their partner Paul Sanders.
"It's kind of what we were expecting, not quite this soon, but we were hoping that we could have something that could compete the same as Need To Breathe did last year in the Preferred. But I think this mare is maybe a touch better than Need To Breathe was."
Team Cullen also clicked with their Alberta-sired mare Snow Shark, a 1:54.4 winner just two races later in a $15,000 conditioned pace.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada)