Sophomore trotting filly Motown Muscle earned her second Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series win of the season with a confident front end effort around the Georgian Downs oval on Saturday evening.
Starting from post eight with Mario Baillargeon at the helm, Motown Muscle hustled away from the starting gate and landed in second spot as Choir Robe roared out to a :27.3 opening quarter. Baillargeon sent his filly to the front heading for the :57.3 half and the fan favourites were comfortably in charge at the 1:26.3 three-quarters.
A little late acceleration saw Motown Muscle pull away from the field and reach the finish three and a half lengths on top in 1:55.1. Choir Robe settled for second and Brenway Dixie, owned by Denarben Stables of Thornhill, Ont. and Rocco Auciello of Stouffville, Ont., was two more lengths back in third.
The win was Motown Muscle’s fifth through 10 starts this season and bumped her sophomore earnings to $272,052. Trained by Ben Baillargeon for owner-breeders Bet Max Stables Inc. of Casco, Michigan and Benenati Inc. of Clinton Twp., Michigan, the Muscle Mass daughter now owns the top spot in the three-year-old trotting filly standings with 112 points.
Anaffairtoremember and Seeuinthespring treated Georgian Downs fans to an epic stretch battle in the second $105,000 division, hitting the wire a neck apart in 1:55.4. Princess Lilly was just three-quarters of a length back in third, while fan favourite Angies Lucky Star made a break heading for the three-quarters and finished at the back of the field.
Jack Moiseyev piloted Anaffairtoremember to her second Gold Series win for trainer Marie Dupont and owners Claude Brault of Peterborough, Ont. and M T Pockets Stables of Pompano Beach, Florida. The Angus Hall daughter is currently in second spot in the point race, 10 points behind Motown Muscle.
The three-year-old trotting fillies make their last regular season Gold Series start at Mohawk Racetrack on Sept. 13 and Georgian Downs wraps up its 2013 Ontario Sires Stakes schedule with an event for their Grassroots peers on Tuesday, Aug. 27.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Georgian Downs.
(OSS)