Didrickson has been a model of consistency early in her 2011 season and tonight was no different as the four-year-old pacing mare recorded her fifth straight win in one of three $20,000 HorsePlayer Interactive Stakes eliminations held on Friday at Woodbine
Racetrack.
The top three finishers from each elimination plus one fourth-place finisher advance to the final of the re-branded Horseplayer Interactive Stakes, formally called the Ontario Girls Pacing Series.
Leaving from Post 7 in the first elimination, Flip Flop Summer and driver Rick Zeron took control and reached the opening quarter in :27-seconds before giving way to the popular L H Nenia (Phil Hudon). L H Nenia rushed up from fifth and cleared before the :55.4 half-mile marker.
Flip Flop Summer played follow-the-leader en route to the next marker of 1:24.1 but pulled the pocket in the stretch and blew by her rival to score by one and a half lengths in 1:52.4. L H Nenia was second with Mi Amada (Jody Jamieson) coming on for third.
Flip Flop Summer paid $8.20 to win as the 3-1 second choice. The four-year-old daughter of Jennas Beach Boy-Gails A Crombie picked up her second win in a row and third of the season from six starts for trainer Mervin Chupp and owners Joseph and Tina Seekman of Centreville, Michigan and Helping Hands Stables of Woodbury, Indiana. The 11-time career winner now boasts over $219,700 in earnings.
With Randy Waples in the bike, Didrickson rallied off cover to notch her fifth straight win in the next elimination for trainer-owner Kelly Goodwin of Fowlerville, Michigan.
Jody Jamieson fired 73-1 longshot Tymal Dalia off the gate from Post 9 and settled down along the pylons around the first turn, hitting the first quarter marker in :27.4. As she raced past the half in :57.2 and three-quarters in 1:26.1, 50-1 shot Changing Gears (Paul MacDonell) advanced first up from fifth providing the popular Didrickson with cover.
Powering up at the head of the lane, Didrickson charged home off cover in :27.4 to score by one and a half lengths in 1:54.3 with pocket-sitter P Note Blue Chip (Keith Oliver) shooting through for second and Catch A Dragon (Sylvain Filion) coming on for third.
Didrickson returned $3.60 for the win. The five-year-old Keystone Raider-Stikeadeezemare is now a perfect five-for-five in the 2011 season. Tonight she earned career win No. 13 and pushed her lifetime earnings over the $100,000 mark.
Miss Maverick pulled off a 17-1 upset with her off-the-pace moves in the final elimination for driver Mike Saftic, trainer Marie St. Charles and E C S Racing LLC of Rockford, Michigan.
Firing off the gate from the nine-hole was 100-1 longshot Bullet Point (Chris Christoforou), who cleared ahead of Miss Maverick near the :27-second first quarter mark.
Favourite Ardor Locke (Randy Waples), last week's Mares Open winner, swept to command as the field moved past the half-mile marker in :56, with Holiday Shopper (Jason Brewer) hot on her heels.
Holiday Shopper rolled up alongside the new leader but remained parked out as she attempted to clear near the 1:24 third quarter. The top two duelled down the stretch but it was Miss Maverick who stole the show, coming on in deep stretch to win by half a length in 1:54.2. Holiday Shopper was second best with Ardor Locke collecting show money. Miss Sand Creek (Doug McNair) finished fourth and drew in to nab the last spot in the final.
Miss Maverick paid $37.70 to win for the first time in four starts this year. The Western Maverick-Sanfranchine four-year-old is now a 10-time winner in her career and has banked over $135,000 for her connections.
Here is a look at the field for next week's $60,000 final:
1. P Note Blue Chip
2. Holiday Shopper
3. Didrickson
4. Miss Maverick
5. Flip Flop Summer
6. Ardor Locke
7. Mi Amada
8. Miss Sand Creek
9. L H Nenia
10. Catch A Dragon
To view Friday's results, click here.