Kissing Camels fended off a late attack from a pocket-sitting foe en route to capturing the $11,860 End Of Season Claiming Series for fillies and mares on Thursday evening
at Hiawatha Horse Park.
The four-year-old daughter of Astreos and driver Rob Sparling, Jr. were parked to the quarter pole in :26.4 before Bah Nessa (Nick Steward) relinquished for the pocket spot. Kissing Camels, who was sent off as the even-money favourite, proceeded to slice out middle splits of :56 and 1:25 before coming under pressure once again from Bah Nessa.
As the tempo really began to slow in the closing strides, it was Kissing Camels who summoned up a :31.4 closing quarter en route to posting the quarter-length decision over Bah Nessa in 1:56.4. Third-place finisher J J Silver Spur came up a pair of lengths short.
Rene Allard trains Kissing Camels for owner Anne O’Keefe of Ferryland, NL. The victory was the mare’s fourth of the 2010 campaign, and the cheque was her biggest to date. She has banked more than $56,000 to date with close to $40,000 of that earned this season.
Ja Taime lit up the toteboard one race earlier in the $6,240 End Of Season Consolation Final for fillies and mares when she scored by a neck in a time of 1:58 for the tandem of driver Alfie Carroll and trainer Joe Cirasuola.
The three-year-old daughter of Million Dollar Cam was tripped out in the pocket spot by Carroll, who sat a perfect trip behind Odds On Diana. The tempo-setter carved out panels of :28.1, :58.3 and 1:27.2 before being overtaken by Ja Taime in the closing strides. She prevailed by a neck over Odds On Diana (Billy Davis, Jr.) in a career-best clocking of 1:58. You Raise Me Up (Nick Steward) came on strong only to fall a half-length shy of getting all the marbles.
Candace Cirasuola of Durand, MI owns the youngster who bumped her bankroll to $28.490 with the win.
To view Thursday’s results, click here.