Three-year-old trotting fillies put on a speed show Friday night at Mohawk Racetrack in a trio of Casual Breeze Stakes divisions, one of which produced a new Canadian record
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Although world champion Poof Shes Gone captured her split, she was the slowest of the three winners.
After stealing away with a pedestrian first half of just :59 seconds, Poof Shes Gone was able to hold on for a narrow 1:54.4 tally for driver David Miller in the opening $75,000 contest. The daughter of Kadabra - Travelin Superlite faced a stern challenge in the third quarter from Tequila Slammer (Paul MacDonell), who ultimately finished a good third behind a hard-charging Fortunes Dream (Yannick Gingras).
“We got down to the half in :59 seconds and she [Poof Shes Gone] couldn’t have had it much easier,” admitted Miller. “She was a little sick after that last start. She fought game tonight though and maybe just needed that race.”
It was the second win in three tries this season for Poof Shes Gone, who is trained by Richard ‘Nifty’ Norman. She paid $3.00 to win as the prohibitive top choice while increasing her career earnings to just over $1.1 million for Mel Hartman and John Fielding of Ontario and Herb Liverman and David McDuffee of Florida.
In the second division, the regally-bred Ultimate Cameron converted from a pocket trip for driver Trevor Ritchie to stop the clock in 1:53.4. It was a stakes-record performance - albeit a short-lived one - for the Yankee Glide daughter of double millionaire Cameron Hall, who was making her first start of the season.
Longhots Emmylou Who (Lyle MacArthur) and Highland Strikes (Mario Baillargeon) rallied to finish second and third respectively while favoured Bramalea Hanover (Steve Condren) faltered late and finished fourth. The winner returned $25.90 while triggering a $1 superfecta worth $6,885.10.
“You never know if you’re going to get room or not,” said Ritchie, who also drove the filly’s mother. “She trotted right through the wire. She wears pull-out ear plugs and a pull-down blind and I didn’t have to use either one of them. This mare is a lot like her mother; she’s a little feisty out there but she’s all race horse.”
Ultimate Cameron won once in just nine starts last season for trainer Robert Stewart (who also campaigned Cameron Hall) but banked $224,394 for Diamond Creek Farm Llc. of Paris, Kentucky.
The best was saved for last in the final division as Action Broadway stepped to a scintillating 1:52.4 victory for driver Brett Miller. The daughter of Broadway Hall - Photo With Molly made her move to command in
the second quarter and then cruised to an effortless-looking win over Ipromisenottotell (Phil Hudon) and Ruffles (Marcus Johansson).
The previously undefeated Jesses Messenger, who came into the race 10-for-10 in her career, made a break in stride just past the quarter and took herself out of contention.
The winning time of 1:52.4 lowered the previous national standard of 1:53.1, which belonged to Pure Ivory and did not come as a surprise to Miller.
“She’s the fastest trotting filly that I’ve ever sat behind,” he said afterwards. “Last year, she made it to the Breeders Crown and made a break behind the starting gate and I always felt like if I just could have got her out of the gate she might have had a shot to win.
“She’s got so much talent that when she’s out by herself you do have to keep her attention. So, finishing I kept her attention and kept her mind on business.”
Action Broadway, who kicked back $11.10 for the win, now has five wins in 13 career starts for trainer Virgil Morgan Jr. and owner Kennth Sommer of Ohio. The winner’s share of the purse vaulted her past $165,000 lifetime.
All three of the Casual Breeze winners are eligible to the Elegantimage Stakes at Mohawk with eliminations coming up next Friday, June 18.
To view Friday's results, click here.
(WEG)