Stubborn Belle has had her fair share of ups and downs this season, with Thursday evening’s trip to Mohawk Racetrack an effort that falls into the ‘ups’ category.
The John Bax trainee, who has a number of breaks scattered through her past performance lines, minded her manners and set a stakes record in the first of three Champlain Stakes divisions for two-year-old trotting fillies at the Campbellville, Ontario oval.
Paul MacDonell hustled Stubborn Belle to the lead from Post 4 and the daughter of Taurus Dream-Musetta Hanover was uncatchable. She led the field through first-half fractions of :27.3 and :57.1 before coming under fierce pressure around the final turn. That pressure was applied by the even-money favourite, Spirit To Win, who prompted the leader to the three-quarter pole in 1:26.3. Stubborn Belle lived up to the first part of her name by digging in in deep stretch and using a :27.4 closing panel to win by a pair of lengths over Spirit To Win in 1:54.2. Summers Jewel, who was sent off at 113-1, was third.
The 1:54.2 performance was a new lifetime mark for Stubborn Belle, and it knocked four fifth of a second off the former stakes record of 1:55.1 set by Check Me Out in 2011.
Al Libfeld of Pickering and Parkhill Stud Farm of Peterborough, Ontario share the ownership on the three-time winner, who bumped her bankroll to $108,786 with the victory in the $83,372 affair. She was purchased for $85,000 from last year’s Harrisburg Yearling Sale.
Danielle Hall also used front-stepping tactics to take home the lion’s share of the loot in her $84,871 division. Jody Jamieson marched her to the top shortly past the quarter pole and after leading through middle fractions of :57.4 and 1:27 she was able to sprint home in :28.1 to win by a neck over Smexi in 1:55.1. Lock Down Lindy, who was sent off as the 1-2 favourite, rode second-over cover but could only muster a third-place finish.
Trainer Carl Jamieson of Rockwood co-owns the daughter of Deweycheatumnhowe-Debbie Hall with Winnipeg Racing of Concord, Ontario, and together the partners have watched the filly assemble an impressive record of 5-1-0 from her first six starts. The $42,436 payday boosted her earnings to $179,686. As it turns out, she was a $21,000 steal from the Lexington Select Yearling Sale.
Jolene Jolene was a handy winner in her $84,871 division for the tandem of driver David Miller and trainer Jonas Czernyson. Miller got away third with the youngster while Lilu Hanover rolled to the front and supplied the opening quarter of :28.1. Miller moved his charge to the front in the backstretch, and they cleared without a tussle and proceeded to lead through middle panels of :58.1 and 1:27. A :28.1 final quarter was more than enough for Jolene Jolene to win by three lengths over Juanitas Fury in 1:55.1. Dynamite Dame took home the show dough.
William Joseph Donovan of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida owns the daughter of Muscle Hill-Celebrity Speedie, who was purchased for $87,000 from last year’s Harrisburg Yearling Sale. She’s already stashed away earnings in excess of $150,000.
To view results for Thursday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Thursday Results – Mohawk Racetrack.