Happy Becky squashed her five opponents Thursday night in the final of the Whenuwishuponastar Series at Mohawk Racetrack.
A field of eight was scratched down to six for the $37,800 final of the three-week series for two-year-old pacing fillies.
The Show Returns, the leg one winner, skipped the second leg and Happy Becky, who skipped the first leg, captured the second leg setting up a battle between the two fillies.
Both fillies left hard at the start, but Yes You Can and driver Jody Jamieson out-sprinted them all to carry the lead at the opening quarter in :27. In the second quarter, Jack Moiseyev quickly right lined The Show Returns from the two-hole and pushed his filly to the lead, but Chris Christoforou and Happy Becky followed from third and crossed over in front at the half-mile pole in :55.3. Around the final turn, Happy Becky posted a third-quarter of :27.4, with The Show Returns waiting in the pocket to challenge in the final quarter. At the top of the stretch, Happy Becky quickly took off from The Show Returns and her four other rivals and sailed home to capture the Whenuwishuponastar by six and a quarter lengths in 1:53.4.
Float On By and James MacDonald finished second, but were placed back to sixth for going inside pylons on the final turn. With the placing, Mo Molly Blue Chip and Paul MacDonell were moved into second, while Yes You Can was bumped up to third and The Show Returns was placed from fifth to fourth.
The series victory for Happy Becky improved her record to four-for-four in her young career for trainer Casie Coleman.
“She trained down all winter like a real nice filly,” said Coleman following the race. “To think she was going to be this nice was kind of hard, but I’ve been extremely high on her and as she races with each start she just seems to get better and better.”
The daughter of Cams Card Shark out of Happy Doris was a $30,000 yearling purchase at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale. Coleman said she immediately loved Happy Becky when looking at her before the sale.
“I loved her, I liked everything about her, she was just a sweetheart and had nothing to fault on her so I brought her home.”
Coleman’s West Wins Stable shares ownership with J. Robert Darrow, Ron Broadstone and David Miller.
The Whenuwishuponastar Series victory bumps Happy Becky’s career earnings to $36,900.
Coleman confirmed that Happy Becky will now head to the Eternal Camnation Stakes next Saturday night (August 16) and then on to the Shes A Great Lady eliminations on Saturday, August 23 at Mohawk.
Jetpedia drew first blood in Thursday's opening leg of the Define The World Series for two-year-old trotters.
Formerly known as the Bridger, the series was renamed this year in honour of the John Bax trainee, Define The World, who earned more than $1.7 million during his seven-year racing career for owner/breeder Al Libfeld.
The opening leg saw a group of eight battle for a purse of $12,000.
Jetpedia, the 6-5 favourite, turned in a dominating gate-to-wire victory to break his maiden in 1:59.
Driven by co-owner Mike Saftic, Jetpedia left hard off the gate for a comfortable lead at the opening quarter in :28.2. Saftic slowed things down in the middle half leading through a half of 1:00 and a three-quarter time of 1:30.1. In the stretch, Jetpedia cruised away from rivals with a last quarter of :28.4, under a Saftic hand drive, to win by three and a half lengths. Homen Dry (Chris Christoforou), who was second over on the final turn, took second, while Monopoly Blue Chip (Jody Jamieson) was third.
A $17,000 Harrisburg Sale yearling, Jetpedia is a son of Muscle Hill out of Baker Black Jet and is trained by Gregg McNair, who shares ownership with Saftic and Bloomingwood Farms Ltd.
The maiden-breaking score came in the two-year-old gelding's second start of his career. Jetpedia's clocking of 1:59 was more than a second slower than his career mark of 1:57.4, which was taken in a qualifier on July 22 at Mohawk.
The second leg of the Define The World Series takes place next Thursday (August 14) at Mohawk.
To view Thursday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Thursday Results - Mohawk Racetrack.
(With files from WEG)