To Helen Back saved the most ground for driver Mike Saftic and they shot through late to win Friday's $42,000 Mares Open Pace at Mohawk Racetrack.
Four Starzz Meliss (Mario Baillargeon), who entered the race fresh off her track record equaling performance last week, was sent to the front in a sizzling :25.3 and hammered out fractions of :54.1 and 1:22.
The next three – Southwind Madonna (Lyle MacArthur), Illusionist (Mark MacDonald) and To Helen Back – remained the same until the third quarter. In the stretch, Illusionist was the first to move out, but her wheels were only spinning. Southwind Madonna took her shot, however, she couldn't get by Four Starzz Meliss.
To Helen Back, though, found an opening along the rail and nailed Four Starzz Meliss at the wire by a head in 1:49.4. Southwind Madonna fended off a hard closing Pink Kangaroo (Dave Wall) for third.
John Pentland trains To Helen Back for Mike and Anne Shunock. In seven seasonal starts, the five-year-old Astreos mare is 2-1-2 with earnings of $70,080. Now a 16-time winner lifetime, she boosted her bankroll to $698,360.
To view Mohawk's results, click here.