Brinkers Dream and Aniston Seelster won their respective Autumn Series Finals on Friday (Dec. 4) night at Woodbine Racetrack.
The $36,800 three-year-old filly trot and $37,800 three-year-old filly pace Autumn Series Finals highlighted Friday’s 11-race card.
A pair of scratches, including leg one and two winner The Murmuring Pan, left a field of eight for the filly trot final and Brinkers Dream seized the opportunity at odds of 24-1.
Driven by Paul MacDonell, Brinkers Dream trotted out strong to take the lead and post an opening quarter of :28.2. Tymal Fireitup, a leg two division winner, was sent off as the heavy 1-5 favourite and got away fourth in the early stages. Brinkers Dream got her own way in the second quarter and took the field by the half in :58. Around the final turn, MacDonell opened up a sizeable lead with Brinkers Dream and the leader stormed the third quarter in :27.4 to hold a six-length lead turning for home over a first over Tymal Fireitup. Brinkers Dream's strides shortened in deep stretch, but her big lead was too much for her rivals to overcome, as she scored a one and three-quarter length victory in 1:56.1. Aspen California rallied from the back to nose out Tymal Fireitup for second.
A daughter of Taurus Dream, Brinkers Dream entered the Autumn Series Final off a fifth and a second in the preliminary legs. She is trained by John Bax and owned by Bax Stable and Dave Hudson. The Autumn Series victory is the second win in 23 starts this season for Brinkers Dream. Her career earnings now sit at over $55,000 and the clocking of 1:56.2 knocked a fifth of a second off her previous career-mark.
A $2 win ticket on Brinkers Dream returned $51.10.
Aniston Seelster had to work for the lead early, but that was the spot to be in the $37,800 pacing filly final.
Driven by Doug McNair, Aniston Seelster, the 6-5 favourite, sprinted off the wings of the gate with Much Adoo, the second choice at 2-1, matching each stride to her inside. The two favourites went toe-to-toe for the length of the stretch, before Aniston Seelster edged by to take command at the opening quarter. Aniston Seelster had to pace a :25.4 first quarter to get the lead, but that turned out to be the winning move. McNair was able to get middle fractions of :56.2 and 1:27.2 to set up a final quarter sprint. In the stretch, Aniston Seelster powered home in :28.3 and was able to hold off Much Adoo from the two-hole and a late surge from Pinky Tuscadero up the rail for a three-quarter length victory in 1:56. Pinky Tuscadero, who was eighth turning for home, charged up the rail to nose out Much Adoo for second.
A daughter of Mach Three, Aniston Seelster is trained by Gregg McNair for owners Lindsey and Connie Rankin. The sophomore pacing filly finished first and second in the Autumn Series preliminary legs. Aniston Seelster now has seven wins in 21 starts this season after going winless in five starts as a rookie. The Autumn Series final victory pushes the Rankin’s filly over the $100,000 earnings mark to $107,840.
The McNair trainee paid $4.50 to win.
In order to be eligible to the Autumn Series, the Ontario-sired three-year-old fillies had to be non-winners of $50,000 lifetime or $30,000 in 2015 as of September 30, 2015.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Racetrack.
(WEG)