Could Be Queen and Mcbubbles captured the $8,000 Kin Pace eliminations on Sunday, June 28 at Clinton Raceway ahead of the $50,000 final of the track’s signature race next weekend.
In the first elimination, Could Be Queen passed on a pocket trip to set the tempo, pushing past Playsomethingsweet (Jody Jamieson) near the quarter in :27.4. Jason Ryan rated the filly to a :57.3 half before calling for speed to three-quarters in 1:26.3 to parry the threat of the first-over Amazing Addy (Mark MacDonald). The leader stymied that foe at her wheel, and with her dispatched, Could Be Queen held Playsomethingsweet at bay down the stretch to win by two lengths in 1:56.3. Miss Party Girl (Damian MacLellan) finished third, with Amazing Addy fourth.
Could Be Queen’s third victory of the year in seven outings followed an Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots score three starts ago and a 1:52.3 victory at Woodbine Mohawk Park in her seasonal debut. The daughter of Cattlewash-Epoxy Queen has earned $66,000 and won five of 15 career starts. Nick Gallucci trains her for Millar Farms of Stouffville, Ont. She paid $3 to win.
Mcbubbles pounced from the pocket and resisted favourite Malicia Speed to take the second and faster elimination. The inside three were the quickest away in the six-horse field, with Mcbubbles pushing for the lead for Jody Jamieson from post two before surrendering to stubborn inside starter Tainted Love (Mark MacDonald) and taking the pocket ahead of Malicia Speed (Jason Ryan) in third. After a :27 opener, there was little action through :56.3 and 1:26.1 middle splits. Malicia Speed kicked off the final-quarter action as she tipped off the pylons and flushed out Mcbubbles, who circled Tainted Love to strike the front coming off the last turn. Malicia Speed gained down the lane but was a half-length short as Mcbubbles stopped the clock in 1:55. Aunt Gertrude (Anthony Haughan) came on for third over Tainted Love.
Mcbubbles scored her second straight win after a career-best 1:51.4 score in a race for OSS Grassroots starters at Mohawk on June 19. The John Pentland trainee is now two-for-seven this year. Hutt Racing Stable of Malvern, Pa. owns the daughter of Mcwicked-Lady Bubbles, now a three-time career winner with $42,030 in earnings from 14 starts. Her win price was $9.60.
The final of the Kin Pace, for Ontario-sired three-year-old pacing fillies with less than $50,000 in earnings last year, is set for Sunday, July 5 at Clinton. The post positions were drawn following the eliminations and are listed below.
$50,000 Kin Pace
Post - Horse - Elim Driver - Trainer
1. Could Be Queen - Jason Ryan - Nick Gallucci
2. Amazing Addy - Mark MacDonald - John Pentland
3. Tainted Love - Mark MacDonald - Garry Merner
4. Aunt Gertrude - Anthony Haughan - Meg Crone
5. Mcbubbles - Jody Jamieson - John Pentland
6. Miss Party Girl - Damian MacLellan - Matthew Trelford
7. Malicia Speed - Jason Ryan - Jodie Cullen
8. Playsomethingsweet - Jody Jamieson - Paul Cameron
AE1. Cold Creek Cotija - Brady Galliers - Daniel Walker
AE2. Regil Whitesocks - Brady Galliers - Cameron McQueen
Sportsline returned from a three-week absence with a massive mile to tie the track record for an aged pacing stallion in a $4,800 optional-claiming event. The Patrick Bissett trainee had the front heading into the first turn and set :28 and :57 first-half panels, then began to open up on the field nearing three-quarters in 1:25.2. Brady Galliers produced :28.3 speed home from the 10-year-old and had him to the line an eight-length winner over State Of Play (Austin Sorrie). Adore Him (Jody Jamieson) finished third. Sportsline’s mile equalled the 1:54 mark for an older pacing entire set by Life Is Better in 2023.
Sportsline ($3.30), a son of Sportswriter-Angel In Disguise, recorded lifetime win number 41 and upped his earnings to $367,698 in his 146th start. He took his first victory of the season in 12 outings for owner Wendy Armstrong of Clinton, Ont.
There were three $8,000 divisions of the Prospect Series Leg 2B for three-year-old filly trotters. Leg 2A winner Lookstobemagic ($2.40) took the opener in 2:00 for driver Lorne House and trainer Brent Belore. Myretirementalarm ($28.70) broke her maiden in 2:01.4 in the second split with Paul MacKenzie at the lines for trainer Eli Wagler. Silver Pride ($4.40) took the final division in 2:00 for driver Austin Sorrie and trainer Jean-Francois Maguire.
To view Sunday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Clinton Raceway.
(Standardbred Canada; photo of Mcbubbles winning on June 28)