Hillbilly Desire took advantage of a perfect pocket trip and well timed move in the stretch to capture the $4,500 second leg of the Juniors Pacing Series Wednesday at Colonial Downs.
Amanda Jackson’s four-year-old Real Desire mare finished second as a beaten favourite to Our Flight in the first leg of the series. On Wednesday, she sat behind John Ingram’s Our Flight through the first three fractions while that three-year-old Panspacificiflight gelding triggered panels of :27.2, :56.1 and 1:23.3.
Both Chesapeake Bay, who was third throughout, and Hillbilly Desire passed the first leg winner in deep stretch, and Jackson’s pacer crossed three-quarters of a length ahead in a lifetime-best 1:52. Regular driver Frank Milby directed the winning effort for a horse that thrives at Colonial’s one-turn mile oval.
Hillbilly Desire had four wins and a pair of seconds last fall and in the current meet, has a pair of wins and a runner up finish in four outings.
Day No. 17 of the meet was in stark contrast to the past week when clouds and continuous drizzle led to either sloppy or good track conditions. The surface didn’t matter to leading driver Chris Page, who scored four wins on an off track Saturday and rolled to another four-win day on Wednesday over a fast track. He connected with Le Sirenuse, who has won four straight, McBlack, Bettorseeitmyway and Forever La Nigh. He leads Corey Braden in the standings by a margin of 31 to 26.
(Colonial Downs)