Three-year-old pacing fillies were the stars of the show during Friday’s program at Century Mile, as they did battle in a set of $7,500 eliminations for the Alberta Marquis.
Rockin Mystery was a popular winner in the first elimination for the tandem of driver Dave Kelly and trainer Chris Lancaster.
Sent off as the 1-5 favourite, Rockin Mystery got away third while Summer Fantasy zipped to the lead and laid down early fractions of :29.1 and :58.4. Kelly his charge on the move first over going to the mid-way point, and they brushed to the front in the third quarter and rolled the field to the three-quarter pole in 1:27.1. A :28.1 closing panel was enough to earn the filly the win by 3-3/4 lengths over Summer Fantasy in 1:55.2. Lollipop Yacht took home the show dough.
Rod Therres and Blair Miller share ownership on the daughter of Mystery Chase-Cant Stop Rockin. The 10-time winner now owns a 6-6-2 record from 17 trips to the track this season. The victory pushed her lifetime earnings over $175,000.
After losing her first seven starts of the season Outlawspotliteonme has now won four consecutive races thanks to her 1:56.3 triumph in the second elimination.
Trainer/driver Paul Davies hustled the filly to the top from Post 7, and together they sliced out splits of :28.3, :59.1 and 1:28.4 before rocketing home in :27.4 to win by 2-3/4 lengths over race favourite Gin Twist in 1:56.3. Maxsamian was third.
Davies shares ownership on the daughter of Smart Shark-Outlaw Alleysome with Nicole Davies, Deborah Pinel and Paul Sanders. The streaking filly, who was unraced as a rookie, now owns a 4-2-1 record from 11 starts this season.
The undercard featured this week’s edition of the $9,000 Fillies & Mares Open, and bragging rights belong to Thats It who turned a two-hole trip into a 1:53.2 score for driver Philip Giesbrecht.
Sent off as the longest shot on the board, Thats It fired to the front from Post 5 and had four foes chasing her past the quarter pole in :28.3. Blue Grotto rushed to the front in the second quarter, and she proceeded to take the field to the half in :57.1 and then the three-quarter marker in 1:25.2. Thats It found clearance in the lane and used her :27.3 closing speed to win by a half-length margin over Blue Grotto. The even-money favourite, Custard Lite, came first over and finished third.
Trainer Rod Hennessy co-owns the five-year-old daughter of Dragon Again-Thats No Lady with partners Lorne Duffield and Jean Crochetiere. The victory was her fifth of the season and it helped push her yearly bankroll over $40,000. The 25-time winner has banked over $240,000 to date.
To view results for Friday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Friday Results – Century Mile.