Ascending the ranks from the $6,000 claimers, Metaki defeated the top mares in Western Canada with a 1:54 career-best performance in the featured $14,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred Pace on Friday evening (May 12) at Century Downs.
Leaving from the inside post for trainer/driver Brandon Campbell, Metaki was involved in an early tussle for the top spot and gave way to Century Downs track record holder Stash The Cookies (Logan Gillis) while Saphire Blue (Jamie Gray) settled behind in third. After opening splits of :28 and :56.4, Metaki popped the pocket and advanced alongside Stash The Cookies as they raced by three-quarters in 1:25 then forged ahead down the stretch to prevail by one length. Saphire Blue rallied three-wide turning into the stretch, but In High Cotton (Phil Giesbrecht), the 3-5 favourite off a successful Fraser Downs meet capped by a track record performance last week, stormed home widest of all from the backfield to claim the runner-up honours. Saphire Blue held on for third over Century Mach (Nathan Sobey) with Stash The Cookies fading to fifth.
Metaki, who started her four-year-old season winning at the $6,000 claiming level, stepped up to the Mares Preferred class for the first time last week with a third-place finish and was sent off as the 9-2 third choice this time out. She paid $11.70 to win.
The daughter of Vertical Horizon has now won half of her 12 starts this year, good for $31,434. Lifetime, she has banked $91,623 with a record reading 13-10-7 from 41 starts for owner Jodi Loftus of Calgary, Alta.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Century Downs.