Driver Jody Jamieson worked out the winning trips for a pair of popular sophomore pacing fillies in a set of $25,000 Niagara Stakes eliminations while Marie Claude Auger pulled off a mild upset in the final division
on Friday night at Woodbine Racetrack. The top three finishers in each elimination will advance to the $60,000 final.
In the first elimination, post time favourite Only The World and Jamieson (five wins on the 12-race program) prevailed with a first-over attack in 1:54.3.
Ella V Horse (Luc Ouellette) soared off the gate to take command of her six rivals and led past the opening panel of :27.4, ahead of Smokin N Grinin (Paul MacDonell) and Only The World.
Ella V Horse would continue to lead past the half in :56.3 and three-quarters in 1:25. Around the final turn, Only The World moved out from third and at the top of the stretch she was only a half-length behind Ella V Horse.
Down the stretch, pacesetter Ella V Horse began to tire as Only The World struck the front and excelled to a one and three-quarter length score. Hustleonhome (Sylvain Filion) blasted off cover late in the mile to finish second with Ella V
Horse fading to third.
Only The World paid $2.50 to win. The Meadowlands invader, a daughter of Western Terror-Visa Bella, scored her fourth straight victory and ninth win from 13 starts this year lifting her career earnings to $41,583 for trainer Jeff Gillis and owners Rose and George Bonomo of Naperville, Illinois.
Jamieson found the winner’s circle again in the second elimination aboard the popular Bullet Point.
The daughter of Mcardle-Drawing Card nestled away in second behind La Reata (Paul
MacDonell) before the first quarter in :28.2. As the field headed towards the :58.2 half-mile mark, Jamieson pulled on the right line and sent his charge to the front.
Around the final turn, Bullet Speed switched into high gear and widened her lead to seven and three-quarter lengths. With a sixteenth-of-a-mile to go, Bullet Speed was under a comfortable hand drive and she scored an open length victory in 1:55. McGain N McGain (Sylvain Filion) used a ground saving trip to finish second with
Hat Trick Honey (Roger Mayotte) also advancing to the final.
Bullet Point paid $4.00 to win. She notched her fifth career victory in 23 starts and now boasts career earnings totaling $73,254 for owner-trainer Blake MacIntosh.
In the final elimination, Sans Frontiere exploded late in the mile to score the victory for driver-trainer Marie Claude Auger.
Leaving from Post 5, Zoes Turn (Sylvain Filion) established command at the :27.4 ahead of Chocolatine (Phil Hudon) and went unchallenged as she laid down the middle panels of :57 and 1:25.3.
Around the final turn, favourite Private Joke (Mario Baillargeon) moved to the outside from third and attacked first-over. As the field headed into the stretch, Zoes Turn was still in command but that would not last long as San Frontiere exploded off second-over cover to deliver a new lifetime best of 1:54.3. Pocket-sitter Chocolatine finished three and a half lengths behind in second with I Love Too Much (Luc Ouellette) third.
Sans Frontiere paid $18.10 for the upset. The daughter of House Of Fun-G Js Bayama earned her sixth win in 21 starts this season and her eighth career victory. She has banked $52,362 this season and $65,941 lifetime for owner-breeder Denise Auger of Trois-Rivieres, Que.
Here is a look at the field for the $60,000 final, which goes to post on Dec. 26:
1. Hustleonhome
2. Sans Frontiere
3. Bullet Point
4. Only The World
5. Ella V Horse
6. Hat Trick Honey
7. Chocolatine
8. McGain N McGain
9. Blind Spot Hanover
10. I Love Too Much
AE. Private Joke
To view Friday's results, click here.
(With files from WEG)