De Valeria delivered as the odds-on favourite in the featured $10,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred 2 Handicap Pace at Georgian Downs on Saturday night (August 6).
With her regular reinsman Aaron Byron in the sulky, outside post six assignee De Valeria marched to the lead over insider Duncs Diamond (Dan Leblonc) and was never seriously threatened the rest of the way. She carved out fractions of :28.2, :57.4 and 1:26.1 en route to a two-plus length victory in 1:54.3. Ninette B (Bob McClure) rallied home off the cover of Russian Kisses (Robert Shepherd) and edged out that mare for the runner-up honours.
The win was De Valeria's second out of her last three starts in Georgian's Preferred 2, and followed up a second-place finish behind Rubis Prescott last Saturday night. With the defending class champion absent in this week's affair, De Valeria was the 7-5 favourite and paid $4.90 to win.
The five-year-old Little Steven mare is trained by Mark Winacott and owned by Carrielyn Shelswell and Paul Kelly.
In the next race, Byron and Winacott teamed up to complete a sweep of the late Daily Double with B Santannas Love, who inherited the win when judges ruled initial first-place finisher The Prophet Mary had caused interference in the stretch. That marked Byron's third driving win on the program as he also recorded an earlier victory with Summajestic for his father Steve and uncle Dave.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Georgian Downs.