Shoplifter Hanover edged out Minettas Nightstar for the second straight time in the $8,500 Fillies & Mares Open Pace at Northlands Park on Friday night
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The field of five lined up in post position order when the wings of the gate folded with Barona Josie (Bill Tainsh Jr.) leading the way to the first quarter in :28 and the half in :58.4.
Down the backside, favourite Minettas Nightstar (Bobby Clark) pulled the pocket and brushed to command. She hit the third quarter mark in 1:27 with a two and a half length cushion, but the third place Shoplifter Hanover, trained and driven by Jamie Gray, came charging up alongside down the stretch and got her nose to the wire first to score in 1:56.1. Barona Josie was the best of the rest, finishing over seven lengths behind in third.
Shoplifter Hanover paid $6.10 to win as the 2-1 second choice. The four-year-old Dragon Again-Shopping At Saks mare is owned by Diane Bertrand of Edmonton, Alta. She has won three of her seven seasonal starts, finishing no worse than third in the rest for earnings of $18,690. Lifetime, the 11-time winner had banked $66,407.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Northlands Park.