Three-year-old fillies found themselves in the spotlight Thursday evening at Woodbine Racetrack, as the Rexdale, Ontario oval hosted the opening leg of the Autumn Series for pacers and trotters.
A pair of divisions for trotters and a trio of splits – each of them worth $15,000 - went postward on the 12-race card, and wind was a hindrance to those fillies in the final quarter of their respective assignments.
Samira Hanover, who made breaks in her last two pari-mutuel outings, was forced to requalify on October 30 for trainer Mike Keeling. She was on her best behaviour that morning at Mohawk Racetrack, and she was just as much of a professional in this evening’s pari-mutuel assignment under the lights.
The daughter of Kadabra-Southern Puff got away sixth from her Post 7 starting spot, and that allowed Alluring K to hustled to the front and chop out splits of :28.2, :59 and 1:28.2. Samira Hanover tipped out to catch cover in the backstretch before making a three-wide moving at the mid-way point of the final turn for driver Paul MacDonell. She kicked home in a :29-second clip to win by 2-1/2 lengths over Candida in 1:58.3. Fathers Amigo trotted home late to finish third.
P C Wellwood Enterprises Inc, William B Weaver III, Steve D Organ and A K Malik Stable share ownership on the photogenic filly who improved this year’s record to 4-2-4 from 13 starts with the win. Her share of the $15,000 purse lifted her lifetime loot to $59,980.
Be Winnin also used an off-the-speed approach to winning her division for the tandem of driver Jody Jamieson and trainer Glenn Lalonde. The daughter of Angus Hall-Brenda B Winnin got away fourth and watched Ocean Mist Beauty sail through fractions of :29, :59.1 and 1:28. Be Winnin was third at the half, and improved to be second on the outside at the three-quarter pole before using a :30-second kicker to win by 1-1/2 lengths over I Like My Kaddy in 1:58.1. Ocean Mist Beauty faded late and settled for third.
Owned and bred by Robert J Key of Leechburg, Pennsylvania, Be Winnin won for just the second time this season in 14 starts. The three-time winner has banked $37,448 to date.
In the first division for the pacing fillies it was Lutetia Semalu pulling off a 10-1 upset for the team of driver Sylvain Filion and trainer Richard Moreau. The daughter of Million Dollar Cam-Signature Semalu powered to the lead from Post 6 and threw down an opening quarter of :29.3 before taking a brief tuck into the two-hole behind Stonebridge Adore. Filion came right back around that foe for the re-take and after clearing she led through middle panels of :56.3 and 1:25.4 before using a :28.2 closing quarter to win by 2-3/4 lengths over Parade Route. Race favourite Stonebridge Adore had to settle for third.
Zoom And Fish Stable Inc of Laval and Ecurie Gaetan Bono Inc of Montreal, Quebec own the sophomore who won for just the second time in her career. She’s 2-for-24 in her career, but those two wins have come in her last four starts since moving to Moreau’s outfit.
Machnbyrd Princess was 1-9 on the toteboard, and she proved to be 1-9 the best in the second division for driver Steve Condren. He got away fourth with the Shawn Robinson pupil while D Gs Pesquero blasted to the lead and laid down a :27.3 opener. Condren had Machnbyrd Princess on the move in the backstretch and she cleared without a fight shortly past the half in :56.3. She was in charge at the three-quarter pole in 1:23.4 and used a :29.1 closing quarter to win by 6-1/4 lengths over Call It Courage in 1:53. D Gs Pesquero weakened late and settled for the show dough.
The Mach Three-Respectednbeloved homebred races for Canamerica Capital Corp and Hyatt Holdings Inc of Milton, Ontario, and so far this season she’s put together a sterling record of 5-2-0 from just seven trips to the track – a far cry from the 0-for-7 record she established last year. The filly, who clearly was worth waiting on, has potted $73,710.
Panstakingly and trainer/driver Donald Jobin clicked for an 18-1 upset in the final division. The daughter of No Pan Intended-Pantathlon was nowhere to be found in the early stages of the mile, but she had plenty of speed to chase thanks to Hippie Chic, Its No Secret and Putmeintogo who took turns on the engine through fractions of :27.2, :57.1 and 1:25.1. Panstakingly kicked off cover turning for home and used a :28.4 closing panel to win by 2-1/4 lengths over Mach It A Par. Race favourite Putmeintogo was third.
Jobin shares ownership on the four-time winner with Danielle Belisle of Clarence Creek, Ontario. Together, they’ve watched the filly put together a 4-7-4 record from 22 trips to the track this season. The lion’s share of the purse bumped her cash stash to $43,853.
To view results for Thursday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Thursday Results – Woodbine Racetrack.