Sitting third through the first lap, The Joy Luck Club tipped off the rail and blitzed the leader heading into the final turn before kicking to a 1:54.3 victory in the $10,500 Fillies and Mares Preferred 2 Pace at Flamboro Downs on Saturday, Dec. 29.
Twice An Angel took control of the pace with Phoos Girl sitting pocket and The Joy Luck Club positioned behind through a :27.4 first quarter. Unchallenged to a :57.1 half, Twice An Angel soon faced pressure heading to three-quarters as driver Mike Horner sent The Joy Luck Club after the leader. The favourite took a narrow advantage through a 1:25.2 third quarter and widened her lead through the stretch to win by three-and-three-quarter lengths. Phoos Girl slid into second while Sodwana Bay took third.
A four-year-old mare by Camluck, The Joy Luck Club won her fourth race from 25 starts this season and her 18th from 57 overall, earning $423,237. Mark Horner conditions and co-owns the $4.60 winner with R A W Equine Inc. and Gregg McNair.
A pair of $8,500 Preferred 3 events were also featured on the card with Smoke Monkey taking the trot as the odds-on favourite in 1:58.2. The five-year-old Majestic Son gelding pushed for the top from post one and faced no pressure through fractions of :28.2, :58.3 and 1:28.1. Happy Holidays, sitting pocket, finished second three-and-three-quarter lengths away while Heineken Seelster settled for third.
Owned by Synerco Ventures Inc., Smoke Monkey won his third race from 26 starts this season and his 10th from 63 overall, earning $135,598. Colin Kelly drove the $2.60 winner for trainer Matthew Dupuis.
Cenalta Call Girl drafted the pacesetter and favourite Ms Cheesman before overtaking her in the stretch to win the Filies and Mares Preferred 3 Pace in 1:56.1. The Pam Forgie trainee yielded the lead to Ms Cheesman heading to a :27.4 opening quarter. Love To Roll, racing third, sat four lengths off the leader before narrowing her deficit and moving first over into a :57.4 half.
Positions remained unchanged by three-quarters in 1:26.3 as Love To Roll began to falter rounding the final turn. Cenalta Call Girl veered out of the pocket into the lane and edged to a three-quarter length victory over Ms Cheesman. Bettys Bay, riding the rail, finished third.
Winning her ninth race in 33 starts this season and her 14th in 44 overall, Cenalta Call Girl has eanred $87,182 and competes for owners Dr. Steve Taylor and Pam Forgie. Billy Davis Jr. drove the four-year-old Allamerican Merlin mare and paid $9.30 to win.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Flamboro Downs.