She is the Iron Maiden of Maritime harness racing. An ambitious schedule has not deterred E F Fantasia in the least. The five-year-old mare scored big in the feature race New Brunswick Day afternoon, pacing in 1:57.1 at Fredericton Raceway.
E F Fantasia was competing in her fourth start in eight days. Those efforts were contested at three different racetracks. She was responsive for Todd Trites despite her busy schedule, closing from fourth at the top of the stretch to win by a length. E F Fantasia paced her final quarter in :28.1, under urging from Trites while defeating Eloquent Desire and Woodmere Sandman.
Breeder-owner-trainer, Raymond Francoeur celebrated the victory in the Fredericton winners' circle, scoring in the featured Accreon Pace.
Trites scored with a total of four winners on the 12-dash card, including another from the Francoeur stable. Lady Mercury took a new lifetime record of 2:00. The mare that was winless at age four now has three wins in her last six starts as a five-year-old.
Trites put a new speed badge of 1:58 on Magical Alex. Owned by Saint John-area horsemen, Bob MacNeil and John Lavric, Magical Alex earned his third consecutive victory. He defeated Edgewater Shadowfax and Provoke Me going gate-to-wire with a final panel of :29.1. Rakland Fine Line also competed strongly for Trites, stopping the clock in 2:00.2 at 8-1 on the nose.
Gilles Barrieau matched Trites' accomplishment, earning four winners. Barrieau's fastest victory came behind Clark Bustard's Chilled Wine in 1:57.3. The four-year-old Neutralize mare clicked for the second straight race, defeating her closest competitor by more than nine lengths.
Barrieau connected with the free-legged four-year-old, Meter Leader in a new mark of 1:58.2. Trained by Jimmy Smith, Meter Leader has struck for four wins in ten starts this season. He defeated Forever Finesse and Yankee Dancer in the final race on the card.
Barrieau swept the daily double, notching triumphs with two heavily favoured horses: R Es Andrew in 1:59.3 and Camco Paul in 2:04. Other winners were Vic Victor (Stephen Trites) in 2:00.1, Blue Man Group (Lonny Stokes) in 1:59.2, Choco Du Ruisseau (Mark Haig) in 1:59 and Texas Treasure (Lonny Stokes) in 1:58.1.
Fans were treated to a card filled with quality, with a total of eight sub-2:00 on the program.
Racing resumes at Fredericton Raceway on Tuesday, August 14 with an adjusted post time of 5:30 p.m.
In other racing news, 25 horses have been nominated for the 53rd running of the Gold Cup and Saucer. Fredericton track record holder Mcapulco and Burnett Memorial champion Malek Hanover will both compete. Trials will be contested Saturday, Sunday, and Monday and the draw for post positions for those eliminations takes place Tuesday.
(Fredericton Raceway)
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Fredericton Raceway.