Divisional champion Yoga Pants continues to impress in British Columbia, capturing the fastest of two $10,000 Penny Bath Memorial eliminations for three-year-old pacing fillies on Saturday (April 15) at Fraser Downs.
With trainer and regular driver Jim Marino in the sulky, Yoga Pants sprinted out quickly and kept her rivals' eyes on her tail. After fractions of :28.2, :58.2 and 1:27, Yoga Pants repelled a late challenge from Alexas Princess (Jim Burke) for a length-and-a-half score in a seasonal best 1:56.
Last Time To Play (Serge Masse) was a non-factor from the pocket to complete the triactor while Cardinal Rule (John Chappell) finished fourth for a spot in the Bath final.
Now two-for-two in 2017, JJJ Stables' Yoga Pants (Sportswriter - Lucks Pleasure) has an enviable seven-for-eight lifetime summary and a bankroll exceeding $126,000. She looks to be the best heading into next week's final for Marino, who enjoyed a training triple on the Saturday card.
Tahuya Gameday stayed perfect in four starts this year with a passing lane pounce in the first elimination.
With driver John Abbott in tow, Tahuya Gameday sat patiently in the pocket while favoured Keys Please (Masse) fronted the field through fractions of :28.4 and :59.3. Shesamysterytome (Ryan Grundy) recovered from an early miscue to apply pressure down the backside and keep Keys Please honest through a third station of 1:28.2. As the field hit the stretch, Abbott steered his charge into the passing lane. Making ground on the leader with every stride, Tahuya Gameday got up in the final feet to trip the timer a neck the best in 1:57.1. Keys Please stayed for second with an impressive Shesamysterytome (Ryan Grundy) right with the leaders in third. Cays Blessing (Marino) finished fourth to also advance.
A homebred owned by trainer Erik Neyhart along with Juan Samper, Tahuya Gameday (Mystery Chase - Under Five) boasts a 5-2-0 summary from eight lifetime starts and more than $36,000 in purses.
The top four finishers plus one fifth-place finisher will advance to the $75,000 Penny Bath Memorial Final, one week from today on April 22 at Fraser.
The weekly $11,000 Open Pace was won by the Rod Therres-trained Buddy Weiser, who prevailed from the pocket to end the top class win streak of his rival Illwinifican.
Entering the race off three straight Open wins, Illwinifican (James Burke) took the lead from the quick-leaving Buddy Weiser and driver Serge Masse during the :27.1 first quarter then fought off Get Thereovernight (David Hudon) through middle splits of :56.4 and 1:24. However, Buddy Weiser shot through the passing lane to win by one and a quarter lengths in a career-best time of 1:52.2.
The five-year-old Western Ideal-Buddys Gal gelding now boasts four wins and three other top-three finishes in his nine seasonal starts for owner Veikko Pajunen.
For the charts from Saturday's card at Fraser, click the following link: Saturday Results - Fraser Downs.