WOODSTOCK, ON — Ontario’s top three-year-old trotting fillies were on fire at Woodstock Raceway on Saturday afternoon, lowering the track record and then equalling it in Trillium Series action.
Armbro Amaze made her third start of the season a winning one in the second Trillium division and lowered the sophomore trotting filly speed standard to 2:00 in the process. The King Conch daughter and driver Ross Battin left the starting gate from Post 3, sat fourth through the early going while Sweet Face Baby reeled off fractions of :28.3 and :59.1, then took control of the race and never looked back. Hitting the three-quarters in 1:29.3 the duo sailed under the wire three-fifths of a second faster than the former record, set by Ontario Sires Stakes competitor Zola Smiger in 2002.
Canaco Monviel was two lengths behind in second with Aimees Image another seven lengths back in third.
Frank O’Reilly trains Armbro Amaze for his partners John Jesson of Tillsonburg and John Fielding of Toronto. After earning $29,455 through just six starts as a two-year-old, Armbro Amaze has struggled with breaks this season and recorded her first flawless performance on Saturday.
Five races after Armbro Amaze delivered her record setting performance, Gold Series regular North To Alaska stepped up to the plate and hit another home run, equalling the new 2:00 standard. With regular reinsman and Hall of Famer Ron Waples in the bike, the Valleymeister filly took control of the race just past the quarter mile marker and left the field in her dust down the stretch. Memories Of Texas was five and a half lengths back in second and Chips Chip finished two more lengths back in third.
Trainer Kevin Davidson and Catherine Stewart of Campbellville share ownership on North To Alaska, who was making her first winner’s circle appearance of the season, in spite of earning $50,524 through her seven previous starts.
Dream Alone kicked off the Trillium festivities in Race 1 with a come-from-behind performance for trainer Mark Steacy and driver Mark MacDonald, stopping the clock at 2:01.4 for her third win of the season. The Mr Lavec daughter missed the opening Gold and Grassroots Series’, but has been impressive in overnight events.
Decadent Pagan picked up the runner-up cheque and Taffeta Seelster, owned by James Massey of St. Marys and The Henry Stable of Arthur, rounded out the top three in the first division.
The other division winner was American-bred filly Honolulu. Trained by Pat Hunt for Thomas and Elizabeth Rankin of St. Catharines, Honolulu and driver Randy Waples picked up their second Trillium Series win of the season with a come-from-behind effort that reeled in pacesetter Lukes Vivianne and fan favourite Canaco Melone.
The top three-year-old trotting fillies have one Trillium Series event remaining on their 2003 schedule, an Aug. 21 appearance at Hiawatha Horse Park. The Gold Series fillies will match wits again July 5 at Kawartha Downs, while the Grassroots fillies head to Sudbury Downs on July 12.
Ontario Sires Stakes excitement returns to Woodstock Raceway on Saturday, Aug. 2 with the two-year-old pacing fillies in their third Grassroots event.