J One Twenty dominated the second leg of the Niagara Pacing Series, drawing away from the field of three-year-old fillies to win by nearly six lengths on Friday night (Dec. 16) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Facing a field of five with a pair of top performers from leg one scratched, J One Twenty crossed to command in Friday's $18,000 event and driver Scott Young directed her through fractions of :27, 57 and 1:26.3 as she started to draw away en route to the 1:55.3 victory over the 'good' track. Queen Of Soul (Bob McClure) closed for second over Maddigal (James MacDonald).
J One Twenty, who finished third last week in the opening leg of the series for non-winners of $60,000 lifetime as of Oct. 31, was the 6-5 favourite and paid $4.50 to win.
The Artspeak-Saintsbury Lady filly made just one start as a two-year-old and now boasts 13 wins from 23 starts this year for her owners, trainer Jerry Sims and breeder John O'Brien.
Round one winner Acrimony was a late judges scratch as she fell before the race. The filly appeared to come out of the incident unharmed, according to reports from Woodbine. Baby Bonita, the runner-up in the series opener, was scratched sick.
In other series action, Something Royal survived an overland route to win the $18,000 Pop-Up final for claiming filly and mare pacers.
Driven by Louis-Philippe Roy, Something Royal was uncovered most of the way as she advanced from the backfield after an action-packed opening quarter and took the lead turning for home. She then held off Sheplaysforkeeps (James MacDonald) and Golden Leader (Austin Sorrie) on both sides to win by half a length in 1:56.4.
Something Royal was a winner in the opening leg at The Raceway at Western Fair District on Dec. 2 and finished third in round two last week at Mohawk. Claimed each leg of the series, the popular mare was racing from the Isaac Waxman stable in the final for Roy and co-owners Tess Waxman and Troy Learn.
The seven-year-old daughter of Western Paradise went over the $100,000 earnings mark while picking up her 18th career win.
Sent postward as the 5-2 second choice, Something Royal returned $7.80 to win.
The $9,000 Pop-Up consolation was won by Southern Memories ($13.80), who caught favourite Keep Watching in 1:57.3 with Travis Cullen aboard for trainer Stewart McQueen and partners Robert Watson and James Grant.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.