The five-year-old pacing heavyweight, Bigtime Ball, extended his win streak to four in the $50,000 Open on Saturday night at Mohawk Racetrack
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With Paul MacDonell at the lines, Bigtime Ball got away third from Post 2 as Bolero Charles (Mark MacDonald) showed early gate speed and put up a :27.4 first quarter. Down the backstretch, Bigtime Ball got underway and he quickly took his place on top of the field. The gelded son of Presidential Ball led the way past the half in :56.2 and three-quarters in 1:24.2 before pulling away by two lengths. The 3-5 favourite sprinted home in :26.3 to win in 1:51 flat.
Mr Saratoga (Sylvain Filion) came on for second forcing Bolero Charles to settle for third.
Owned and trained by Gord Irwin, Bigtime Ball kept his seasonal record in mint condition with his 17th lifetime score. The bay increased his bankroll to $694,481 with the triumph.
Using her token off-the-pace tactics Dreamfair Eternal put in another impressive Fillies & Mares Open ranks performance when she stole the lion’s share of the $44,000 purse from the fan favourite and pacesetter, To Helen Back, in the last few moments before the wire.
To Helen Back (Mike Saftic) left from Post 4 and remained parked to the :27 quarter-pole by Southwind Madonna (Lyle MacArthur), but finally settled on top and then led the way to the half in :56. At that point, Dreamfair Eternal and driver Tony Kerwood, who got away last, moved to the outside and followed the cover of Marietta Hall (Rick Zeron). Past the 1:24.3 third quarter, Dreamfair Eternal angled three-wide as To Helen Back opened up by four lengths on the front. It appeared as though To Helen Back had sealed the deal, but Dreamfair Eternal was just powering up. She released her killer :26.2 final kicker and flew past the pacesetter in deep stretch to win by nearly two lengths in 1:52.1.
To Helen Back stayed for second with Marietta Hall finishing third.
The five-year-old daughter of Camluck improved her record to 6-2-1 in 10 starts this year with $136,850 earned. Trained by Patrick Fletcher for John and Mary Lamers of Ingersoll, Ont., Dreamfair Eternal notched her 18th career win bumping her total bankroll to $280,845.
Straight Shooting also used a late-stretch rally to win for the first time this year for trainer Tracy Brainard and the Bulletproof Enterprises of Boca Raton, Florida.
The North America Cup eligible left from Post 8 and could not get a spot at the rail. Mark MacDonald then sent the son of Western Terror straight to the front from the backfield and he took command after a :28.1 opening quarter put up by Bay Of Sharks (Mario Baillargeon). From there, Randy Waples released Artists Rally from the four-hole and that one took control before the half-way point in :56.4. Refusing to sit a pocket trip, Straight Shooting moved back up for the re-take and those two battled past three-quarters in 1:25.2. Down the stretch, Straight Shooting gained the upper hand and he held off a quick-closing Stinger Blue Chip (Jason Brewer) and Bay Of Sharks to win in 1:52.4 by a length.
Straight Shooting, a fourth-place finisher in last week’s Upper Canada Cup Consolation, notched his fourth career-win bumping his bankroll to $242,315.
To view Saturday’s results, click here.