'Rebeka' Rebounds In Mares Open

Published: December 11, 2011 12:14 am EST

After seeing her five-race win streak come to an end last week, Rebeka Bayama rebounded with a 1:51.4 triumph in the $42,000 Fillies & Mares Open Pace Saturday night in overnight action at Woodbine Racetrack

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Leaving from Post 6 in the field scratched down to seven starters, Rebeka Bayama got away third, but driver Sylvain Filion made his move with the even-money favourite after the :27.3 opening quarter. The four-year-old swept to command ahead of Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final champion Waasmula (Keith Oliver) just before the :56.2 half-mile mark.

Rebeka Bayama then proceeded to three-quarters in 1:24.4 while New York Sire Stakes champion Tea Party Princess (Mike Saftic), who upended her streak last time out, launched a first over attack from fourth.

However, Rebeka Bayama opened up a three length lead at the top of the stretch, which was enough to hang on for the three-quarter length score. Tea Party Princess began to level off down the stretch while reigning Horse of the Year, Dreamfair Eternal (Chris Christoforou), kicked off her cover and sprinted home in :26.3 to grab second place honours. Waasmula finished two and a half lengths behind in third.

Rebeka Bayama paid $4 to win. She is now eight-for-12 on the year with close to $170,000 earned for owner-breeder Bayama Farms Inc. of Saint-Andre-D'Argenteuil, Que. The career winner of $270,928 in purses has only missed the board in five of her 27 lifetime starts (16 wins).

In this week’s $30,000 Preferred 2 Pace, the David Menary-trained Good Bad Lucky and driver Scott Zeron swept past the popular Upfront Hoosier Boy down the stretch to record his fourth win in a row in a time of 1:51 flat.

The four-year-old Camluck-Our May West gelding sat in the pocket early on behind Pansthetic (Paul MacDonell) before being shuffled back to third as Upfront Hoosierboy (Mario Baillargeon) brushed to command down the backstretch. He then stormed home in :27-seconds to prevail by one and a half lengths over the favourite while early trailer Fitzs Z Tam (Luc Ouellette) came in third.

Good Bad Lucky paid $16.50 for the mild 7-1 upset. The win was his seventh of the season in 22 starts for Pennsylvania’s Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi. The 17-time career winner now boasts close to $300,000 in lifetime earnings.

Saturday's card also featured the $60,000 final of the Autumn Stakes for three-year-old pacing colts in which Modern Legend set a new stakes record of 1:50.4. For more on Saturday's stakes action, click here.

To view Saturday’s harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results – Woodbine Racetrack.

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