Hambletonian winner Ramona Hill ripped to the lead and away from competition to equal the stakes record in the $350,000 Elegantimage Stakes with a 1:51.4 victory on Saturday (Sept. 19) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Warrawee Vicky vaulted to the front with Trina settling into second and Sister Sledge third by the first quarter in :27. Sister Sledge soon slid from the pegs and brushed to the top before yielding command to Sorella heading by a :55.1 half.
Driver Andrew McCarthy moved 1-2 favourite Ramona Hill first over moving to the final turn and rushed to the lead circling towards three-quarters in 1:23.1. Into the stretch the Muscle Hill filly stormed clear under minimal urging to win by open lengths over Sister Sledge taking second and Sorella settling for third.
“She was as good as ever tonight,” McCarthy said after the race. “Such an amazing filly. Just [an] unbelievable experience just to sit be able to sit a horse like that. She never really got out of second gear tonight—just kind of worked her way to the front and never really had to ask her at all. She’s done it pretty easy.”
Owned by Brad Grant, Crawford Farms Racing, Robert LeBlanc and In The Gym Partners, Ramona Hill collected her sixth win from seven starts this season and her 12th from 14 overall, earning $1,452,066. She paid $3.10 to win.
The Elegantimage was one of the handful of major stakes events on the Saturday card at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Recaps from the other races are available at the following links:
To view the results from Saturday's card of harness racing at Woodbine Mohawk Park, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.