Winning races is something Rebeka Bayama mastered the art of during last year’s four-year-old campaign, and it’s been more of the same this season for the speedy distaffer.
The homebred daughter of Leader Bayama-Joyce Bayama went into Friday’s $42,000 Fillies & Mares Open Pace at Mohawk Racetrack sporting a 2-for-5 seasonal record, and thanks to a sweet trip engineered by driver Sylvain Filion she used her come-from-behind skills to win in 1:50.
Filion got away third with Rebeka Bayama while Laneside Lexus, who was looking for a repeat in the class, shot to the top from Post 7. She and driver Billy Davis, Jr. sprinted by the quarter pole in :26.2 and then the half-mile marker in :54.4 before coming under attack from the pocket-sitting Maureen Rocks. Those two ripped by the three-quarter pole in 1:22.3 with Rebeka Bayama setting up her rally from second over. Filion fed Rebeka Bayama racetrack and she kicked home in :26.4 to halt the teletimer in 1:50. It was two lengths back to runner-up Strike An Attitude, with Swinging Beauty closing from next-to-last to finish third.
Justin Filion trains the 19-time winner for Bayama Farms Inc of Saint-Andre-D’Argenteuil, QC. Last night’s $21,000 payday helped her overall earnings climb to just shy of $360,000.
To view results for Friday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Friday Results – Mohawk Racetrack.