DUNDAS, ON — Ontario’s top two-year-old pacing fillies wrapped up their Trillium season on a Friday afternoon that had more in common with winter than fall. Racing over a Flamboro Downs oval rated two seconds slower than normal, Shes My Belle scored the fastest of the three Trillium divisions, stopping the clock at 1:58.1.
Fan favourite Shes My Belle and driver Chris Christoforou took early command of the race and rolled through fractions of :28, :58.2 and 1:28.1 on their way to the one length victory over Lucys Fame and Dreamcometrue. The win pushed the Cambest daughter’s win streak to three for owner Melvin Hartman of Ottawa and trainer Rene Laarman of Guelph.
In the second division favourite One Hot Beach led the field through fractions of :27.2, :57.4 and 1:28.3, but could not sustain the pace and yielded to three fillies in the stretch. Mark MacDonald piloted Wipethatsmerkoff to a picture perfect victory in 2:00, with Manhattan Killean and Themaneattacktion fighting it out for the second and third spots.
Brenda Spence trains Wipethatsmerkoff for C M T Farms of Arnprior and Bad Plus Stable of Greely. It was the second win in a row for the Grinfromeartoear daughter, who captured a Grassroots division at Georgian Downs on Sept. 30.
The final Trillium Series battle went to Hangin By A Moment, who delivered an impressive come-from-behind effort to score the 2:01.3 victory. Trainer Carl Jamieson of Princeton piloted the Rustler Hanover filly to the three and three-quarter length victory for his partner Karl Ungerman of Toronto. Hangin By A Moment was also a winner in Trillium Series action at Rideau Carleton Raceway on Aug. 24.
Let It Ride picked up the second-place finisher’s share of the $26,820 purse, while favourite Cammissy settled for third.
The two-year-old pacing fillies make their next Gold Series start Oct. 25 at Mohawk Racetrack, while the Grassroots fillies head to Sarnia’s Hiawatha Horse Park on Oct. 16 and the American-bred contestants look south for their next stakes engagement.
Ontario Sires Stakes excitement continues at Flamboro Downs on Sunday, Oct. 5 with the second last $130,000 Gold Final for the three-year-old trotting fillies.