With a power move off the gate, Forever Bettor sealed her fate as the winner of the Sunday, Jan. 5 feature at Flamboro Downs, a $9,500 fillies and mares conditioned pace.
Parked through the opening quarter from the outside post in a field scratched down to five, 1-9 favourite Forever Bettor raced wide into the first turn and cleared to command ahead of a pair of early leavers past the first pole in :27.3 for driver Samuel Fillion. Wildcat Watching and Daryl Thiessen gave way for the pocket spot and D A Cinnamoncrunch was shuffled to third until Jimmy Gagnon moved that mare first-up at the :57.3 half-mile mark as Forever Bettor stole a second quarter breather. With pressure mounting to three-quarters in 1:27, Forever Bettor countered, widening by more than two lengths turning for home and winning in 1:57.2. Wildcat Watching held on for second while Control The Bullet and Damian MacLellan rallied from the back to edge out D A Cinnamoncrunch for third.
Coming off a seven-win 2024 campaign in her first full season of racing, the five-year-old mare paid $2.20 to win as the bettors' choice in the evening's 10th race.
Trained by Blair Burgess and owned by Kenneth Seastrom of Wilton, California, the homebred daughter of Bettors Delight out of Ladys Art was part of a perfect pair of winners at Flamboro on Sunday's 12-race card for her connections and completed a natural hat trick for her driver.
Burgess, Seastrom and Fillion also teamed up with the four-year-old Sunshine Beach mare Lady Mansfield ($3.40), who held off rivals on both sides in the eighth race to take a new lifetime mark of 1:59.3 in her second consecutive win.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Flamboro Downs.
(Standardbred Canada; Photo fo Forever Bettor from a previous win)