Heavily favoured three-year-old trotting fillies had a field day in Thursday’s set of $20,000 Autumn Stake eliminations at Woodbine Racetrack
, with Found An Angel and Road Trip Girl front-stepping their way to victory lane in their respective assignments.
The formidable duo of driver Paul MacDonell and trainer John Bax joined forces to take the opening elimination with the 1-2 choice Found An Angel, who stopped the teletimer in 2:01. The homebred daughter of Duke Of York-Lou Macs Glory took an early tuck into the three-hole before brushing to the top on the way to the mid-way point. Once she cleared she never relinquished the lead en route to the three-quarters of a length decision over pocket-sitter Good Poker Face. Meadowview April rallied to finish third.
It was the third win of the 2009 campaign in 20 trips postward for Found An Angel, who races for owner/breeder Al Libfeld of Pickering, ON. She has banked just over $60,000 to date. Trainer John Bax indicated earlier this week the filly would be retired at the completion of the Autumn Stake in order to begin her new career as a broodmare.
After parking past the quarter pole in the second elimination, Road Trip Girl worked to the lead for driver Jody Jamieson and drew away from her trotting foes in 2:02.1. The Jeff Thomson-trained homebred daughter of Mr Lavec-Sennas Image was more than four lengths better than runner-up Strikingimpression and third-place finisher Just One Day.
Bred and owned by Jeff and Lori Thomson of Chesley, ON, the filly won for the second time this season in 13 trips postward. The $10,000 payday lifted her lifetime earnings to $26,405.
The top five finishers from each of Thursday’s eliminations will return to Woodbine Racetrack on Thursday, December 17 for the $45,200 final of the Autumn Stake.
To view Thursday’s harness racing results, click here.