Camille Crowned Princess Champion

Camille was on her best behaviour Friday night at Woodbine Racetrack and as a result she was crowned the Princess Stakes champion in the $80,000 final

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As the field of 10 three-year-old pacing fillies blasted off the gate, elimination winner Dreaming (Roger Mayotte) made a costly break in stride. Meanwhile, Post 7 starter Mater Deo (Mark MacDonald) fired to the front, clearing just past the :26.3 opening quarter.

As the favourite led the way down the backstretch to the half in :55.2, Jason Brewer sent Camille first over from fifth with Artic Byrd (Scott Zeron) following their cover.

As Camille began to close in on the pacesetter past three-quarters in 1:24.3, Mater Deo jumped it off coming into the stretch, handing the first over attacker the lead, and ultimately the win. Camille soared to victory in a career-best 1:52.4. Artic Byrd (Scott Zeron) finished nearly three lengths behind in second and pocket-sitter Itstimeformetofly (Jack Moiseyev) was third.

“She raced very well,” Brewer told WEG's Media Department. “She raced good last week, but didn’t get a very good trip. It was her first start. I was confident in her if she got a good trip.”

Camille paid $9.10 to win as the 7-2 second choice. Last year’s Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots champion, who finished fourth in her elimination, has won five of 13 career starts and boasts $138,580 in earnings. Rodney Gurford trains Camille for owner-breeder Larry Pollard of Harrow, Ont.

“I thought it was between those two [Mater Deo and Camille], but I was hoping I was the lucky one,” laughed Duford after the win.

Later on the program the aged mares faced off in the $40,000 Fillies & Mares Open Pace and it was Warrawee Koine who captured that event in wire-to-wire fashion giving driver Jody Jamieson his fourth win on the card.

Flashing her early gate speed, the five-year-old Astreos-My Gal Hall miss shot to command from the outside Post 8. She reeled off fractions of :26.2, :55.2 and 1:23.1 with 2010 Horse of the Year Dreamfair Eternal (Randy Waples) advancing first over in her season's debut, but never seriously threatening the leader. Warrawee Koine cruised to a 1:51 victory with Marietta Hall (Keith Oliver) and Lady Latte (Rick Zeron) finishing second and third, respectively. Dreamfair Eternal was fourth.

Warrawee Koine, trained by Colin Johnson for Dr. Michael Wilson of Rockwood, Ont., notched her seventh win in 13 outings this year and boosted her bankroll to $154,800. The winner of 19 races lifetime watched her career earnings climb to over $374,000 with the victory. She paid $5.50 to win as the bettor's second choice.

For results from Friday's harness racing card, click on the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Racetrack.