A quartet of Autumn Series finals for the three-year-olds were featured on Friday night's harness racing card at Woodbine Racetrack with Mario Baillargeon dominating the first half of the divisions and Sylvain Filion stealing the spotlight in the last two.
The series is for Ontario-sired pacers and trotters that are non-winners of $50,000 lifetime or non-winners of $30,000 this year as of Sept. 30.
Meadowview Vicky completed a sweep of the three-year-old filly trot series as she prevailed off a pocket trip in 1:57.2 in Friday's first $37,600 final.
Mark Etsell trains the homebred Muscle Mass-Meadowview Tiffy for Meadowview Farms Inc. of Orono, Ont.
Driver Mario Baillargeon aborted a pocket-pulling move aboard the 4-5 favourite during the second panel and opted to wait until the stretch to overtake Serendipitious (Chris Christoforou) for their third straight victory. Serendipitous had led through fractions of :28.2, :58.2 and 1:27.1, but finished one length behind Meadowview Vicky while third prize went to Superflex (Sylvain Filion).
Baillargeon doubled up in the series when he sent three-year-old pacing gelding Rural Art three-wide from third over approaching the third quarter mark to win the next $38,600 final in 1:52 for trainer and co-owner John MacMillan.
The 2-1 second choice prevailed by half a length over Kindofabigdeal (Sylvain Filion), who had blasted to the lead from post eight and put up panels of :26.3, :55.1 and 1:23.3. Bugger Bruiser (Anthony MacDonald) followed in third.
The Major In Art-W C Betina gelding was a runner-up in the opening leg of the series and entered the final fresh off a victory in a conditioned race at Rideau Carleton Raceway last week.
After racing three-wide around the first turn and remaining parked outside until the half, Dontcheatonmenow held off his late-closing rivals to win the $40,000 final for three-year-old trotting colts.
Driven by Sylvain Filion, Dontcheatonmenow prevailed by a nose in 1:57 over Deweykeepumnwhy (Roger Mayotte) with Stonebridge Rich (Anthony MacDonald) finishing three-quarters of a length behind. The Deweycheatumnhowe-Magenta Hall colt, who was also victorious in round one of the series, was making his first start from the Richard Moreau barn and is owned by Rolling Hills Racing Stables of Uxbridge, Ont.
Headsaregonna Turn (Phil Hudon) had the inside advantage with Warrawee Prince (Trevor Henry) leaving from post four and taking over past the :28.2 first quarter. Post eight starter Dontcheatonmenow didn't let up to his outside and eventually cleared to command as the field rolled by the half in :57.4. Favourite Totally Ripped (Steve Byron) was next in line and moved up to battle with the new leader through three-quarters in 1:27.1. However, 5-2 second choice Dontcheatonmenow was able to brush off that challenger down the stretch and reached the wire just in time as Deweykeepumnwhy rallied off cover to make it into the win photo.
Filion was back in the Autumn Series spotlight as he later engineered a 9-1 upset victory aboard Artistic Fusion in the $40,400 final for three-year-old pacing fillies.
The Joe Agostino trainee finished first and second in the opening legs of the series and took a new lifetime mark of 1:52.4 in the final while defeating Double Joy (Trevor Henry) and heavy 1-5 favourite Mach Some Noise (James MacDonald), who was perfect in the preliminaries.
Leaving for early position from post eight, Artistic Fusion settled away fourth while outsider Royal Mama (Jack Moiseyev) pressed on and overtook early leader Debbies Mach (Doug McNair) at the :27-second first quarter mark. Performing Art (Billy Davis Jr.) tipped out from third, but Debbies Mach beat her to the punch and retook during the second panel. Performing Art eventually made the lead with Artistic Fusion then moving up and clearing past the half in :55.3. She raced by three-quarters in 1:23.3 and began to open up a few lengths on top down the stretch to get a jump start on the wide-rallying Mach Some Noise and Double Joy.
Florida's Mike Foote owns Artistic Fusion, a daughter of Artistic Fella out of Kendal Bullet.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Racetrack.