Off to a perfect start at the Century Mile meet, Stash The Cookies followed up on her track record performance on opening day last weekend with another wire-to-wire victory in the $14,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred Pace on Friday, Sept. 15.
Driven by Phil Giesbrecht, Stash The Cookies flashed her gate speed again and landed on top from post three, opening up a quick four-length lead through a :27.1 opening quarter. The 2-5 favourite led the way down the backstretch to the half in :55.1 with Sunshineathebeach (Jamies Gray) tighting up in the deuce and Outlaw Sharktastic (Nathan Sobey) moving first-up from third on the way to three-quarters in 1:23.2 while the rest of the field gapped the top trio. However, Stash The Cookies kept well ahead of her closest pursuers through the lane, making it a race for place, as she won by 2-3/4 lengths in 1:52.3, just one-fifth of a second off her track record for pacing mares. Outlaw Sharktastic bested Sunshineathebeach for the runner-up honours.
Owned by Derek Gilbert of Brandon, Man., Stash The Cookies has earned five wins with five other top three finishes from 17 races this season, good for $43,265 in purse earnings. She has won three of her last four starts since joining the John Chappell stable last month.
The seven-year-old Sunfire Blue Chip-Saucy B mare is a career winner of 27 races and $281,999.
She returned $2.80 to win as the 2-5 bettors' choice.
A four-time Friday night winner, Giesbrecht also combined with Chappell for another victory with claiming mare Heads Up Boys ($33.30) in 1:55.4.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Century Mile.