Divisional leaders Bay Girl and Western Silk led the way to victory lane in their respective $40,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold eliminations for freshmen pacing fillies at Windsor Raceway on Wednesday evening
.
Mario Baillargeon took Bay Girl to the lead from Post 5 in the first elimination and the even-money favourite led the field single-file past the first quarter in :27.2 before Lyons Anitacol (Brad Forward) made the first-over sacrifice from fourth and applied pressure to the half in :56.4. Shaking off her rival, Bay Girl picked up the pace en route to three-quarters in 1:24.4 and kicked away by three and a quarter lengths to win in 1:54.
Exotic Pleasure (Kevin Wallis) rode the pocket to finish second and Lyons Anitacol ended up third.
The Ben Wallace pupil has compiled a record reading 4-2-2 in eight outings this year with $186,722 earned for owners Michael, Sam and Pat Sergi of Canton, New York. Bay Girl, who won a Gold final on August 16 at Mohawk Racetrack, will start from Post 3 in next Wednesday’s $130,000 stakes final.
Fbs Terror (Scott Zeron) fired off the gate from the far outside in the second elim and opened up three lengths on the field, but Mark MacDonald had Western Silk on the move early from the three-hole and she reached the lead past the :28-second opener. The daughter of Western Terror-Extemporaneous took the field to the half in :57.4 and three-quarters in 1:26.3 before sprinting home in :27.3 for the three and a quarter length triumph in 1:54.1.
Fbs Terror stayed for second while Sweetest Smile (Mario Baillargeon) journeyed first-over to get third.
Casie Coleman trains and owns the winner with Tom Hill of Lancashire, Great Britain. In nine starts this year, Western Silk has won four times – including the Gold final on September 24 at Flamboro Downs – and has finished second once and third twice. The lion’s share of the purse boosted her earnings to $156,932. Western Silk will start from Post 6 in the final.
Here is a look at the complete field in post position order for next week’s $130,000 OSS Gold final:
1. Fbs Terror
2. Exotic Pleasure
3. Bay Girl
4. Misty Moonstone
5. Kims Quest
6. Western Silk
7. Lyons Anitacol
8. Sweetest Smile
9. Ice Ice Baby
AE10. Precious Cammill
AE11. Windsong Gentille
AE12. Putnam MacKenzie
To view Wednesday’s harness racing results, click here.