Grace Hill was sent off as the even money favourite against a solid group of sophomore pacing fillies in their single 2021 Breeders Crown elimination, and she delivered impressively for her supporters and her connections.
Driver Todd McCarthy positioned Grace Hill forwardly off the gate, landing in second in the talented field of 10 behind Notorious Pink (Andy McCarthy) through a :27.4 opening quarter. Not content with the pocket, Grace Hill pocket popped as the field straightened and landed on the lead easily. After a :56 half, Grace Hill started to feel pressure from a first-over Fire Start Hanover (Dexter Dunn) with Blue Diamond Eyes (Yannick Gingras) on her helmet second over. After a scare at the head of the lane with an odd step, McCarthy was able to steady the filly and hold off a persistent Fire Start Hanover for the 1:50.3 decision. Blue Diamond Eyes completed the top three.
"They can always be a little funny, these eliminations, but she is good and she can do it either way but she is better following," said McCarthy. "I had to cut it today and you just have to ask her a little bit, but she got the job done.
"She's such a great-gaited horse and it's the first time she's ever threw one of them in with me so it gave me a little fright at the top of the stretch," the driver continued. "I just had to balance her back up again. The fact that she came back on from that [step], that's massive. Not a lot of horses can recover like that so, yeah, she was terrific."
Grace Hill is trained by Richard 'Nifty' Norman for owner Tom Hill. The daughter of Always B Miki - Western Silk picked up her 11th lifetime win and lifted her earnings to $713,195.
Test Of Faith and Scarlett Hanover accepted byes and will advance to the $600,000 final with top-eight elimination finishers. Here's the post position draw for the 2021 Breeders Crown for Three-Year-Old Pacing Fillies.
1. Notorious Pink
2. Marsala Hanover
3. Think Of Galaxies
4. Shezafreaklikeme
5. Grace Hill
6. Mackie Hanover
7. Blue Diamond Eyes
8. Test Of Faith
9. Fire Start Hanover
10. Scarlett Hanover
To return to SC's Breeders Crown News Centre, click here.