American Curves parlayed a pocket trip into an opening leg victory in Friday night's Princess Series at Mohawk Racetrack when the popular pacesetter Shes Lights Out broke stride in the stretch.
Sylvain Filion drove the lightly raced filly for trainer Murray Brethour and co-owners Doug Millard of Woodstock, John and Jim Fielding of Toronto, and Kevin McKinlay of Holland Landing, Ont.
Filion set up the win as he sent American Curves to the lead over Party In Rome (Trevor Henry) through a :28.1 first quarter before giving way to 1-2 favourite Shes Lights Out (Paul MacDonell). Shes Lights Out swept up from third down the backstretch and reached the half in :56.2. The favoured filly then raced past three-quarters in 1:24.4 and turned for home with victory within her sights. However, Shes Lights Out took herself out of contention with a mid-stretch miscue and left American Curves to inherit the lead. American Curves earned her second consecutive victory as she reached the wire in a career-best clocking of 1:53.3 with Party In Rome following just over one length behind in second. Westsluckycam (Jody Jamieson) came on for third-place over Never Any Doubt (Randy Waples) while Shes Lights Out and early breaker Mattjestic Tempo (James MacDonald) completed the field.
American Curves was the 9-2 second favourite and paid $9.30 to win. The American Ideal-Curvesahead filly is now two-for-two to start her sophomore campaign after making just two starts as a two-year-old.
The Princess Series opened with Friday's $20,000 first leg division for three-year-old pacing fillies that are non-winners of $100,000 in 2015. The second round will take place next Friday, April 29, followed by the $50,000 (added) final on Saturday, May 7.
A pocket trip also worked out to the advantage of 6-5 favourite Waasmula and driver Trevor Henry in the weekly $30,000 Fillies & Mares Open.
Waasmula left from post five and secured a pocket trip as the outermost six-hole assignee Witch Dali (Jody Jamieson) hustled off the gate and crossed to command into a 26-second first quarter. The field followed in single-file alignment past the half in :55.3 before the action began approaching the 1:23.3 third quarter mark. Waasmula got the jump start on third-place Ms Mac N Cheese (Sylvain Filion) as she was pulled from the pocket in the final turn and overtook the pacesetter in the stretch en route to the one and three-quarter length triumph. Ms Mac N Cheese chased her home, but Witch Dali fought back and edged out her stablemate at the wire for the runner-up honours.
Waasmula, who also had a successful outing in her last Mares Preferred start on April 8, paid $4.40 for the repeat win. Her 1:50.4 clocking equalled the national season's record for aged pacing mares that she had set with a previous victory in late February at Woodbine.
Bruce Goit trains the 26-time career winner, who sports a bankroll of $779,850. The eight-year-old Million Dollar Cam-Waasmowin mare is owned and bred by Brent Vincent of Allenford, Ont.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Mohawk Racetrack.