FRASERVILLE, ON — Post 1 proved to be the hot spot in Trillium Series action at Kawartha Downs on Saturday evening as both Digga Digga and Claires Apache capitalised on their lucky draw to claim a 1:53.1 win.

While both three-year-old pacing fillies hit the wire in 1:53.1, they accomplished the feat in a markedly different manner. In Race 2 Dan Clements eased Digga Digga off the gate and was sitting fourth when Northern Diligence swept by the quarter pole in :27.2. Heading for the half Clements sent Digga Digga up the outside and the Pacific Fella daughter took control of the pace, rolling to a :55.1 half and 1:23.2 three-quarters without facing a challenge.

Down the stretch Iseerightthrough U, owned by Mad Cow Stable of Little Britain and A. and G. Livestock of Guelph, closed hard but Digga Digga was able to hold her off for the quarter length victory. Northern Diligence faded four more lengths back to third.

Brett Robinson trains Digga Digga for Marilyn and Ian Fromowitz of Richmond Hill. The filly was sent off as the fan favourite on Saturday based on her resume of three wins and one second in seven starts, including a win in a division of the Helen Dancer Memorial at Freehold Raceway on May 14. The Trillium victory, her first in almost two months, boosted Digga Digga’s lifetime earnings to $142,545.

In the second Trillium division, Claires Apache and Stuart Sowerby took a radically different path to the winner’s circle. Like Digga Digga, Sowerby floated Claires Apache off the gate and was settled in fourth when Fabulous Flori took the fillies past the :28 opening quarter. However, Fabulous Flori continued to lead through the :56.2 half and the 1:24.1 three-quarters while Claires Apache dogged her heels from the outside, one and a quarter lengths behind at the half and just a quarter length back at the three-quarters.

By the time the fillies turned for home, Claires Apache had wrestled control away from Fabulous Flori and from there it was smooth sailing for the Apaches Fame daughter, who cruised under the wire three and a quarter lengths ahead of pocketsitter Borderlinegorgious.

Fabulous Flori stayed game for third, barely holding off a hard charging Song Writer, owned and trained by Kendra Casselman of Peterborough.

Gregg McNair of Guelph bred Claires Apache and trains her for his partner Ian Fleming of Londesborough. The winner of $248,093 struggled through her first two Gold Series starts this season, but seems to have found her groove in recent weeks, posting a 1:54.1 victory in the Gold Consolation at Georgian Downs on July 5 in addition to the 1:53.1 win over Kawartha’s five-eighths surface Saturday.

The talented three-year-old pacing fillies do not return to Trillium Series action until Nov. 19 at Western Fair Raceway, while Kawartha Downs wraps up an outstanding stretch of Ontario Sires Stakes competition Tuesday, July 19 with the first Trillium event of the season for the two-year-old trotting fillies.

For complete results please go to:

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rkdfsa.html