Ontario sired sophomore pacing and trotting fillies were in the spotlight on Friday night at Woodbine Racetrack as they faced off in four $25,000 eliminations of the SBOA Stakes.
The pacing fillies kicked off the Friday night card with heavy favourite Notalkingback an easy winner in the first elimination for driver Rick Zeron, trainer Murray Brethour and Hutt Racing Stable.
Leaving from post five in the seven-filly affair, Notalkingback charged out for the early lead into a :26.4 opening quarter. The daughter of Royal Mattjesty proceeded to the half in :56.3 while the rest of the field remained in single file alignment.
Jan It Jackson (Luc Ouellette) advanced first up from fourth en route to the 1:25.4 third quarter mark, but was no match for Notalkingback, who cruised home to win by two lengths in 1:53.1. The 2-5 bettors choice paid $2.80 to win.
Senorita Santanna (Jody Jamieson) finished second off the pocket trip while Jan It Jackson came in third. Ok Feisty (Scott Zeron) and Posey Tina (Keith Oliver) were fourth and fifth, respectively.
Winless in two freshman starts, Notalkingback has compiled a 3-3-3 record in 11 2013 starts while earning the bulk of her $63,757 bankroll. She was a third-place finisher in the Blossom Series and a runner-up in the final of the Princess Series to undefeated New York sired sophomore filly Belle Boyd.
Peter Pan Stables' homebred filly Pan Luis Obispo collared favourite Love Canal to upset the second elimination with Randy Waples in the sulky for trainer Bob McIntosh.
Marlee B (Sylvain Filion) hustled off the gate from post two over Mara Mutuel (Mike Saftic) and last season's divisional Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final champion Love Canal (Jody Jamieson) while Miss Poppycock (Chris Christoforou) rolled up on the outside with her sights set on the leading role.
Miss Poppycock cleared to command past the :28.1 first quarter mark, but Mara Mutuel was hot on her heels and swept by into the backstretch. The new leader reached the half in :57.1.
Meanwhile, Love Canal took aim and took over the lead before the final turn. But pressure was mounting in the form of the advancing Pan Luis Obispo as they passed the three-quarters mark in 1:25.3. The top two battled head-to-head down the lane with Pan Luis Obispo wearing down the 1-9 favourite in the final stides to win by a neck a personal-best 1:52.4.
Love Canal settled for second while Leaveumlady (Scott Zeron) came on for third nearly three legnths behind. Marlee B was fourth and Miss Poppycock finished fifth.
Making just her second start of the season, Pan Luis Obispo paid $26.50 for the 12-1 upset. The No Pan Intended filly, who competed in Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots program at two, now boasts six wins in nine outings with earnings totalling $65,000.
Zorgwijk Nova also won a deep stretch battle to deliver on her pari-mutuel promise in the first trotting elimination for driver Trevor Ritchie and trainer Ronnie MacLean, who co-owns the Armbro Ricochet filly with breeder Zorgwijk Stables Ltd., Happy Trails Stables, and J. Murray Neilson.
Standing My Ground (Chris Christoforou) established the early lead overcoming an outside post nine start during the :27.1 first quarter. But during an eventful second quarter, that filly broke stride and eventually moved to the outside leaving the parked out Legzy (Sylvain Filion) to briefly inherit the lead. Quiet Snow (Luc Ouellette) then took her shot after getting away third at the rail with Choir Robe (Rick Zeron) coming on past the :56.3 half-mile mark.
Choir Robe fronted the field into the final turn and hit three-quarters in 1:26.2 with Zorgwijk Nova left looming first over and Muscle Magic (Mario Baillargeon) on her back. The 1-2 favourite wore down Choir Robe in the stretch, getting up to win by three-quarters of a length in a new mark of 1:55.2. Zorgwijk Nova paid $3.10 to win.
Choir Robe, Quiet Snow, Muscle Magic and Legzy followed the winner under the wire finishing second through fifth.
With a perfect two-for-two start to her sophomore campaign, the 2012 Champlain Stakes winner now sports a 4-2-0 record from 12 outings with $146,191 banked in purses.
In the final elimination, O'Brien Award winner Bee A Magician made her sophomore debut a winning one in rein to Zeron for trainer Richard 'Nifty' Norman and owners Melvin Hartman, Herb Liverman, and David McDuffee.
Lily Pad Hanover (Billy Davis Jr.) blasted to command from the outermost post and fronted the field of nine through a :27.3 opening panel. However, the parked out Bee A Magician worked her way to the top down the backstretch.
She carved out middle splits of :57.1 and 1:26.1 while Motown Muscle (Mario Baillargeon) advanced first over before ducking into a gapping two-hole around the final turn. Bee A Magician hit the top of the stretch and opened up two and a half lengths on her foes en route to a 1:53.4 win, equalling her lifetime mark and the North American season's record. The popular Kadabra filly paid $2.90 to win.
Motown Muscle followed in second while Seeuinthespring (Anthony MacDonald), Charmed Life (Paul MacDonell), and Orderingin (Sylvain Filion) earned the final paycheques.
Bee A Magician earned 10 wins in 13 starts during her breakout season in 2012 while banking $757,138. Her major wins included the Champlain Stakes, Peaceful Way Stakes, and Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final.
Both finals of the SBOA Stakes are scheduled for next Friday, May 24 at Mohawk Racetrack.
The $158,765 pacing filly final will line up as follows:
1. Leaveumlady
2. Marlee B
3. Pan Luis Obispo
4. Notalkingback
5. Ok Feisty
6. Jan It Jackson
7. Senorita Santanna
8. Miss Poppycock
9. Posey Tina
10. Love Canal
AE1. Western Empress
The $162,765 trotting filly final will line up as follows:
1. Charmed Life
2. Zorgwijk Nova
3. Bee A Magician
4. Legzy
5. Quiet Snow
6. Choir Robe
7. Orderingin
8. Seeuinthespring
9. Muscle Magic
10. Motown Muscle
AE1. Her Name Is Lola
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Racetrack.