Warren Fuller's homebred three-year-old pacing filly Monstrous staged a big rally late to come from second-to-last and defeat the popular mare, Balinska Hanover, in a photo finish in the $30,000 Bev Sears Stakes final on Saturday, May 14 at Century Downs.
Monstrous caught Balinska Hanover on the wire to win by a head in a career-best clocking of 1:56.1 for driver J.F. Gagne and trainer Darryl Cutting. Sent postward as the 9-1 fourth choice in the field, she paid $21.90 to win.
Overcoming an outside post eight start, four-year-old Balinska Hanover (Travis Cullen) drove on past a two-hole opening through a :27.3 first quarter and overtook Yellow Mustang (Phil Giesbrecht) on the lead. Balinska Hanover, the even-money favourite following a dominant elimination win, held a two-length advantage as she cruised through middle splits of :56.4 and 1:25 before the rest of the field began to fan out across the track for the stretch drive.
Balinska Hanover fought right down to the wire, but couldn't hold off the late 'Monstrous' attack of the sophomore filly. After following along in seventh-place throughout, Monstrous fanned widest of all and stormed home to edge out Balinska Hanover for her first victory of the year. You Name It (Gerry Hudon) finished one length behind in third after closing from third over. Mozelle Hanover (Jamie Gray) edged out Cenalta Artistry (Rene Goulet) for fourth-place after tracking her cover. P L Impressive (Mike Hennessy), the other elimination winner, was locked in sixth, with Credit The Shark (Keith Clark) and Yellow Mustang completing the order of finish.
Monstrous had kicked off her six-race debut season last year in an Alberta Sires Stakes event and went on to earn cheques in the rest of her starts to bank $34,815. The Allamerican Navajo-Hoosier Pam filly was a runner-up in the season-ending Super Final and also started her sophomore campaign with two second-place finishes, which included her Bev Sears elimination effort behind Balinska Hanover. The victory in Saturday's final boosted her career earnings to $52,939.
The Bev Sears Stakes was for three and four-year-old fillies and mares that are non-winners of $35,000 lifetime as of December 31, 2015. Sunday's harness racing card will feature the matching final of the As Promised Stakes for male pacers.
Although meet-leading horseman Travis Cullen had to settle for runner-up honours in Saturday's main stakes event, he harnessed multiple winners on the 10-race afternoon program, ending the day with a training/driving triple.
In other action, Acesndeuces (Freedoms Pass-Newport Beauty) and driver David Kelly won an 11/16th of a mile pace for $4,000 claimers to set a Canadian and track record at that distance of 1:18.2. After the early leavers waged war on the front, Sam Johnson's seven-year-old homebred gelding came through from the backfield to win by a neck over the wide-rallying Little Bit Faster (Mike Hennessy). He paid $30.80 for the 14-1 upset.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Century Downs.