Three-year-old filly trotters and pacers dazzled in their respective SBOA Stakes finals on Friday night at Mohawk Racetrack
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After lowering her lifetime mark in her elimination last week, trotting filly Im On Cloud Nine put forth another career-best performance in the $159,218 final. The Kevin O’Reilly trainee got under the wire in 1:54.2, which was one-fifth of a second off the stakes record.
The 6-5 favourite sat behind fractions of :27.4, cut by Smarty Pants (Sylvain Filion), and :56.4 and 1:24.4 put up by Sugar Wheeler (Paul MacDonell). But before the half, Im On Cloud Nine caught second over cover, which was provided by the other elimination winner, Lovely Vacation (Randy Waples). In the stretch, Im On Cloud Nine and driver Jack Moiseyev angled three-wide to find open racetrack. The pair was then able to track down the leader to win by two lengths. Lovely Vacation and Smarty Pants finished second and third, respectively.
“I couldn’t have planned it any better,” said Moiseyev following the victory. “It just worked out perfect. She is a very game filly. When she gets a trip like that, she usually has a big kick at the end.”
The daughter of Angus Hall-Celebrity Angel, who swept the Celias Counsel Series at Woodbine Racetrack and captured the Ontario Prep Series final at Flamboro Downs, is six-for-seven this season. The seven-time career winner lifted her lifetime earnings to $196,549 for owner W. J. Donovan. Im On Cloud Nine returned $4.70 to win.
Jet Wash pulled off the 8-1 upset in the $161,218 SBOA final for trainer Jeff Gillis and driver Jody Jamieson.
The pacing miss, who followed behind splits of :26, :53.4 and 1:21.1, was eighth past the three-quarter marker. Jet Wash then used a :27.4 final quarter to get to the finish line first and lower her lifetime mark to 1:50.3. The winning filly and the late-rallying Class Of O Nine (Randy Waples), who finished second by a neck, survived a judges inquiry for interference. Cooking The Books (Jack Moiseyev) got up for third.
“She can fly,” praised Jamieson. “She can spread her wings and fly for a piece of the mile. She can’t carry that speed the whole way, but she is an opportunistic horse that when they go fast up front, she is going to pick up some pieces late.”
The homebred daughter of Jeremes Jet-Shes Beachy, who was unraced at two, is three-for-seven this season. With the win, she lifted her lifetime earnings to $110,909 for Gillis, who owns a piece of the bay with Jonathan Binks of St. Thomas, Ont., Mac Nichol of Burlington, Ont. and Ellen Ott. Jet Wash paid $18 to win.
In regular racing action, Canada's top conditioner Richard Moreau scored a training triple with Star Photo ($9.40), Guard Dog ($5.20), and Roca Rei ($8.40) bringing his seasonal win total to 110.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Mohawk Racetrack.
(WEG)