After wiring Preferred 3 company last week, Linda Wellwood and Tammy Aspden's Tables Big Secret ($28.90) parried a late charge from odds-on favourite Buttermilk Hanover to spring a 13-1 upset in the featured $10,500 Preferred 2 for distaff pacers on a frigid Wednesday night (Dec. 18) at Flamboro Downs.
Tables Big Secret was hustled into play from her outside post by trainer-driver Lyle MacArthur, and the pair ducked into third behind pacesetter Major League N (Ed Hensley) after briefly challenging I Wish You Well (Alfie Carroll) for second on the first turn. The four-year-old Big Jim mare contently stalked early splits of :27.4 and :57 before commencing her first-over ascent with seven-sixteenths to go.
While Tables Big Secret ground alongside and past a tiring Major League N through a :29 third split, she was stalked in the outer tier by Buttermilk Hanover (Robert Shepherd) before facing a stern challenge from that same rival through the final three-sixteenths. Tables Big Secret was driven out to win by a diminishing half length. I Wish You Well saved third after splitting foes at the eighth pole to escape a weakening pocket.
It was the sixth win on the current Flamboro Downs meet for Tables Big Secret.
In the sub-featured $8,500 Preferred 3 for pacing mares, Dazzling Rockette ($10.90) rode the pocket to a 1:57.4 victory over 48-1 pacesetter pacesetter Fina Patina. Driver Ed Hensley and trainer Ashleigh Hensley share ownership of the seven-year-old Rocknroll Hanover mare.
To view Wednesday's results, click the following link: Wednesday Results - Flamboro Downs.