Waitinonawoman earned her first win of the season and Shadow Princess secured back-to-back victories in the $7,600 optional-claiming co-features for pacing fillies and mares on Wednesday, Feb. 4 at The Raceway at the Western Fair District.
In the first event, Waitinonawoman sat fourth and watched a first-half battle as 7-5 second choice Gingertree Carilin (Brady Galliers) stuck to the outside and drove to the front before taking on 4-5 chalk Wifey Said So (Samuel Fillion) past the quarter in :28. As those two raced abreast through the half in :57.2, Travis Cullen pulled Waitinonawoman out behind the parked-out challenger and used that cover around the third turn.
Wifey Said So finally dispatched Gingertree Carilin approaching three-quarters in 1:27.3 but was quickly eclipsed by Waitinonawoman at the third station, and Waitinonawoman rolled clear of the field to a four-length victory in 1:57.3 over a track rated good. Just One Bite (Brett MacDonald) surged home and dead-heated for second with Wifey Said So.
Waitinonawoman won for the 25th time in 113 starts, and the daughter of Custard The Dragon-Barossa has now earned $180,405. Jodie Cullen trains the six-year-old, who is one-for-five this year, and shares ownership with Ron and Travis Cullen of Dundas, Ont. The mare paid $15.30 to win.
Shadow Princess showed the way throughout the second co-feature en route to a two-length victory. The mare immediately forged to the front and went wire-to-wire without challenge, rated by Tyler Moore to :30.2, 1:01.1, and 1:31 fractions. She responded to urging coming off the final turn and kept pocket-sitter Howmac Hotty (Brett MacDonald) at bay to prevail in 2:00.4. Vivs Freight Train (Jay Harris) completed the triactor.
Shadow Princess, who made her Ontario debut in late December, is three-for-six this season. Owner-breeder Redland Farms of Bible Hill, N.S. sent the mare to the province from Prince Edward Island after her Lady Slipper Stakes Grassroots win on Oct. 5. Moore trains the four-year-old daughter of Shadow Play-Machnbyrd Princess, who has won six of her 26 lifetime starts and has earned $38,728. The win payout was $2.40.
To view Wednesday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Wednesday Results - Western Fair Raceway.
(Standardbred Canada)