The front end was the place to be in the Silk Lace and Golden Boy Stakes for Manitoba-sired three-year-olds, held on Sunday (July 21) at the Miami (Man.) fair meeting, as Birds I View, Saskabush Steve and Charlies Dragon all notched pillar-to-post victories.
In the $3,561 Silk Lace for sophomore fillies, Birds I View and driver Blake Piwniuk seized early command from C R Delight (Dean Rey) and rated soft fractions of :30, 1:02.2 and 1:33.1 while under no pressure. Through the final turn, Birds I View extended her lead to four lengths, and she kept a late bid from Sprinttothefinish (Donald Howlett) 3-1/2 lengths at bay to prevail in 2:03.4. C R Delight faded to third.
Birds I View remains undefeated this season by virtue of her Silk Lace victory, and her 2:03.4 victory was good for a new lifetime mark. Trainer Trevor Williams co-owns the daughter of Armbro Baylor with Michael Williams.
The first $3,668 division of the Golden Boy for sophomore colts and geldings saw Saskabush Steve and trainer-driver Donald Howlett rebuff an early challenge from Backatthetrack (Rey) through a :30.2 first quarter before pulling the pace back through middle splits of 1:03.1 and 1:34.3. In the final quarter mile, not only did the Lambretta gelding dismiss a first-over Heartlandbanysbro (Marc Fillion), but also a second challenge from Backatthetrack, who came up a length short of Saskabush Steve's 2:04.1 win.
Wanda Howlett and Dwayne Taylor own Saskabush Steve, whose four-race winning streak dates to last September at Miami.
In the second division, first-time starter Charlies Dragon and Dean Rey made every pole a winning one, coasting through splits of :29.1, 1:00.1 and 1:32.1 before edging away from Cracker Jaxx (Tyler Grundy) on the far turn and prevailing by two lengths in 2:03.1. Somepeopleneedtold (Fillion) flattened in the breeze after a mild backstretch bid, but still held third.
Charlies Dragon was bred by owner-trainer Lorraine Rey.
Fifteen lengths off duelling leaders at the quarter, Prairie Mystic sustained a last-to-first bid to take the featured $2,700 Open Pace.
Howlett was patient early, settling the six-year-old Mystery Chase gelding at the back of the six-horse field while Outlaw Kismet (Piwniuk) and Sin Machqueen (Darryl Mason) battled to a :27.4 first quarter. As Outlaw Kismet expanded his lead to four lengths through a :56.3 half, Prairie Mystic worked steadily into third and took second from a fading Sin Machqueen early in the second circuit.
The pace slowed drastically to three-quarters in 1:27.1, but Outlaw Kismet maintained a four-length lead. Prairie Mystic worked into striking range on the final turn, and worked to reel in the longtime pacesetter by a length in 1:59.1. Im The Pied Piper (Rey) followed the winner's cover and gave futile chase to finish third, another eight lengths in arrears.
It was the first seasonal win for Prairie Mystic. Dr. Larry Hanson and the Estate of Douglas N. Cressman own the 11-time winner.
In the $2,200 Fillies and Mares Open, Artsdestiny coasted to a pillar-to-post 1:59.1 score. Blake Piwniuk sent the six-year-old daughter of No Pan Intended to an easy lead from the pole, and the pair controlled fractions of :29, 1:00 and 1:29.3 before opening up an eight-length margin of victory over Noisy Nora (Howlett). Cordees Fantasy (Darryl Mason) finished third.
Artsdestiny captured her second win in as many starts for trainer Trevor Williams, who shares ownership with Michael Williams. For her career, she has amassed eight wins.
Trevor Williams led all conditioners with a treble. In addition to the aforementioned scores, Williams was victorious in a $4,500 claiming event with Red Star Tiger (Howlett), whose 1:58.1 mile was the fastest on the 11-race card.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Miami (Manitoba).