A late-charging Kabbalah Karen B captured the first of two Ontario Sires Stakes Gold eliminations for sophomore pacing fillies tonight at Mohawk Racetrack, while her stablemate Yellow Diamond made short work of her rivals
in the second to deliver a sweep for trainer Tracy Brainard and the Bulletproof Enterprises.
In the first of the two $40,000 tilts, Kabbalah Karen B and Sylvain Filion, sent off at 4-5, overtook pacesetter St Lads Popcorn (Jason Brewer), making her first pari-mutuel start since July, and went on to win by two and a quarter lengths in the sloppy going. Kabbalah Karen B stopped the timer in 1:54.1, with stablemate Coming Late (Mario Baillargeon) taking the place position and John Pentland trainee, Northern Duchess (Mike Saftic), coming in third in a short field of six.
Kabbalah Karen B, a daughter of Western Terror, has racked up four wins in 18 tries this season, and was most recently fourth in the September 23 Jugette in Delaware, Ohio.
Yellow Diamond, another Western Terror filly, dominated her field of seven fillies in the second OSS Gold elimination, winning in 1:52 for Mark MacDonald.
Mike Saftic sent Topaz Seelster to the early lead in this contest, but they were overtaken by a charging Shacked Up (Luc Ouellette) by the 3/8 pole. Shacked Up held onto her lead until the final sixteenth, when stablemate Yellow Diamond roared up on the outside for a two and a half length victory. Shacked Up held on for second and My Red High Heels (Randy Waples) grabbed the show spot.
Yellow Diamond, who was unraced at two, can now boast nine wins in 16 starts and just under $680,000 in earnings.
OSS action will move to Woodbine Racetrack next Friday, October 9, for the $120,000 (est.) Gold final for three-year-old pacing lasses.
Beaten a half-length by Miss Scarlett in last week's Preferred Pace for fillies and mares, Quail Seelster turned the tables on her main rival in Friday's $36,000 event.
Miss Scarlett (Rick Zeron) led a gapped out field past the opening markers in :27 and :54.4 before Arts Diva (Paul MacDonell) pulled the pocket past three-quarters in 1:23 and laid on the pressure turning for home. But in the stretch it was favourite Quail Seelster and Luc Ouellette, who came flying late from fifth with a :27.1 final frame to capture the top prize. The Michael Grant–trained mare stopped the clock in 1:51.1, scoring by a half-length over Miss Scarlett and Arts Diva.
Owned by 1187422 Ontario Inc. of Gloucester, Ont., the five-year-old daughter of Camluck-Queen From Omaha picked up her fifth win in 15 seasonal tries and pushed her earnings to over $120,000. The 15-time career winner has earned $457,652 thus far.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click here.
(WEG)