ELORA, ON — She came under heavy fire in the stretch, but Shake That Junk was in the groove at Grand River Raceway on Friday night, pacing to a track record 1:54.2 in the first of two $37,414 Trillium Series divisions.

In rein to Guelph resident Anthony MacDonald, Shake That Junk hustled off the starting gate from Post 4 and rang up a smart :27 opening quarter. The Camluck miss continued to lead the field of eight three-year-old pacing fillies through a :55.3 half and a 1:25 three-quarters, and when fan favourite Southwind Piaya fired up out of the pocket Shake That Junk put on an impressive show for the Elora fans.

Displaying the talent that earned her the number two spot in the province as a freshman, Shake That Junk battled down the stretch to thwart Southwind Piaya by a quarter length and earn her first Trillium Series trophy.

Marla Hanover recovered from a break at the three-quarters to earn the third-place share of the Trillium spoils, three lengths behind the leaders, but well ahead of the rest of the pack.

Campbellville resident James “Friday” Dean trains Shake That Junk for his partners Dr. David Powell of Campbellville, P and J Stable of Mississauga and driver Jody Jamieson’s numbered company 1140545 Ontario Ltd. of Cambridge. Through six sophomore starts Shake That Junk has earned victories in Friday’s Trillium and the May 25 Grassroots season opener, a third in her June 21 Gold Elimination and a fourth in the final one week later, adding $45,957 to the $283,319 she earned as a two-year-old.

The 1:54.2 mile lowered the former three-year-old pacing filly track record — set by Grassroots competitor Quail Seelster in Ontario Sires Stakes action at the Elora oval last summer — by one-fifth of a second.

Carl Jamieson opted for similar tactics to land Lola Palooza in the winner’s circle in the second Trillium division, but was able to accomplish the victory in a more relaxed style, sailing under the wire one and three-quarter lengths to the good in 1:57.

Starting from Post 1, Jamieson sent the Western Hanover miss after the lead and was effortlessly on top by two lengths at the :28.1 opening quarter. The pair continued to control the tempo through the :59.3 half and 1:28.1 three-quarters before coasting down the stretch to the victory over St Lads Seraph and Slomotion.

Princeton resident Jamieson shares ownership on Lola Palooza with Thomas Kyron of Etobicoke and Joanne Morrison of Beeton. In seven sophomore starts the filly has tallied two wins, two seconds and one third for earnings of $39,932, just $542 shy of the amount she earned in 12 starts last season.

While the three-year-old pacing fillies will make their second Trillium Series appearance on Sept. 29 at Mohawk Racetrack, many of the Ontario-bred competitors will be heading for the next Gold Series event at Mohawk on Aug. 2, or the Grassroots at Woodstock Raceway on the same date.

Grand River Raceway continues its extraordinary line-up of Ontario Sires Stakes competition on Monday, July 14 with the Grassroots debut of the two-year-old pacing fillies.

For complete results please go to: http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rgrvrfr.html