Sunshineatthebeach hauled down 2-5 favourite Stash The Cookies to take the $14,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred Handicap Pace featured on Friday night (Sept. 29) at Century Mile.
Springing off the gate from the outside in a field scratched down to five of Alberta's top distaffers, divisional track record holder Stash The Cookies and Mike Hennessy were four-wide into the first turn and drove on to take the lead through a :26.4 opening quarter. The popular mare cruised through middle splits of :55.2 and 1:24.3 before Sunshineatthebeach and driver/owner John Glen launched their attack from third down the lane, drifiting wide but charging by late to win in 1:53.2 with a :28.1 final quarter. Stash The Cookies settled for second, 1-1/2 lengths back, with Senga Nightmare, the longest shot on the board at 34-1, completing the top three for Ryan Grundy.
Sunshineatthebeach, who finished third to Stash The Cookies in their last match-up two weeks ago, was sent postward at odds of 6-1 and paid $15.50 to win.
Picking up her third victory of the season from 27 starts, Sunshineatthebeach now has 21 career wins and earnings totalling $276,431. Donna Sarin trains the seven-year-old Sunshine Beach-Yoseline Seelster mare.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Century Mile.