ELORA, ON — Dreamfair Zoya impressed fans at Grand River Raceway on Monday evening with a smart 1:57 victory in the first of three $22,000 Trillium Series divisions.

The three-year-old pacing filly got a savvy steer from Grand River regular Dan Clements, who settled her into the pocket from Post 4 and let Platinum Seelster and Scott Coulter do all the work on the front end. While Platinum Seelster rocked through fractions of :27.2, :55.4 and 1:25.3, Clements maintained a more conservative tempo with Dreamfair Zoya, falling behind by as many as three lengths through the early stages of the race.

Heading toward the three-quarters Clements sent the daughter of Camluck and J Cs Nathalie after the leader and the filly had established a one length lead before straightening out in the stretch. With the rest of the field well behind her, Dreamfair Zoya cruised home to a five and one-quarter length lead in a track record equaling 1:57. Dreamfair Zoya shares the three-year-old pacing filly record with Storm Girl, Illusionist and Paul’s Peanut, who all clocked their 1:57 miles in 2004.

Pacific Yankee, owned by trainer Darren James McCall of Guelph and Richard Thompson of London, earned runner-up honours while Windsun Countess closed strongly to nudge Platinum Seelster out of the top three.

A half sister to former Ontario Sires Stakes standout and $1.1 million winner Dreamfair Vogel, Dreamfair Zoya was making her third appearance of the season in the winner’s circle for owner-breeders John and Mary Lamers of Ingersoll.

The fillies maintained their hot pace through the next two Trillium divisions, as Alias Seelster and Ja El Astrelegant both stopped the clock at 1:57.2.

Alias Seelster and last season’s top Ontario Sires Stakes reinsman Ross Battin opted for come-from-behind tactics in Race 6, powering up the outside to a three and a half length victory over fan favourite Camaronni N Cheese. Val’s Joanie paced into third-place, squeaking by Aileen’s Luck, who is owned by trainer Mark Austin of Fergus and Leo Thibodeau of Windsor.

A winner of $114,932 as a two-year-old, Alias Seelster was making her second start of the season for trainer Ray Bunn of Denfield and his partner Lisa Steward of Denfield. The Camluck miss made her sophomore debut in the Gold Series at Kawartha Downs on May 23, where she finished fifth in her elimination, four and a half lengths behind eventual Gold Final winner In Trepid Water.

Ja El Astrelegant and trainer-driver Carl Jamieson also sat off the pace through the early going before sprinting down the stretch to claim a two length victory in the last division. The Astreos daughter, owned by Donald Varcoe of Stayner and Thomas Kyron of Etobicoke, bested Easy Prey and She Goes All Davay to earn her second victory of the season.

The three-year-old pacing fillies return to Trillium Series action on July 15 at Sarnia’s Hiawatha Horse Park, while Ontario Sires Stakes excitement sweeps back into Elora on Monday, July 3 when Grand River Raceway hosts the two-year-old pacing fillies in their first Gold Series event.

For complete results please go to:

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