Ima Doll foiled two challengers to complete a determined upset victory in the featured $8,800 conditioned pace for fillies and mares at The Raceway at Western Fair District on Tuesday, Oct. 21.
Ima Doll was quickly in command for driver Jason Ryan and had an unchallenged reign through the opening-half splits of :29.2 and :59.2. Fated Fire (Paul MacKenzie) started a first-over challenge going by the grandstand and put the screws to Ima Doll to three-quarters in 1:27.3, eclipsing the pacesetter as they raced into the final turn. Ima Doll regained the lead as they came into the stretch but was beset again as Land Of Paradise (Daryl Thiessen) emerged off cover with a late rush. Ima Doll produced late pace of her own though and hung on by a head over Land Of Paradise to prevail in 1:58. Fated Fire finished third.
Ima Doll was making her third start back from a six-month layoff following a placed-sixth effort on Oct. 14 and a fifth-place finish on Oct. 7. She is now one-for-10 this season for trainer John Pentland of Dorchester, Ont., who co-owns the mare with breeder Alan Bodin of Napanee, Ont. and Sherri Sumner of Dorchester. The daughter of Control The Moment-Voodoo Charm has won eight times and earned $235,170 in 64 career outings. She paid $23.90 to win.
To view Tuesday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Tuesday Results - Western Fair Raceway.
(Standardbred Canada; photo of Ima Doll winning on July 9, 2023)