Rockin With Dewey was still a maiden going into Monday's $31,000 final of the Celias Counsel Series at Woodbine Racetrack, but she went home a winner thanks to a an impressive victory for Team Baillargeon.
The three-year-old daughter of Deweycheatumnhowe-Silky Celine, who was 0-for-7 going into the assignment, rallied to the lead in the late stages of the mile before drawing clear to win in 1:55.4.
Mario Baillargeon got away seventh with Rockin With Dewey while Lipstick Rose shot the front and threw down a first quarter of :27.3. Lipstick Rose was still in charge of the tempo at the half in :58.3, but she was under attack from stablemate Her Name Is Lola. That first over foe brushed to the top in the backstretch, but she came under immediate attack by Rockin With Dewey. The Ben Baillargeon trainee worked her way to the lead shortly past the three-quarter pole in 1:27 and then used a :28.4 closing panel to win by 3-3/4 lengths in 1:55.4. Her Name Is Lola was second best, with Miss Panthers finishing third. Even-money favourite Standing My Ground made a break behind the gate and wound up finishing a non-factor seventh.
Ben Baillargeon of Rockwood shares ownership on the homebred with the filly's breeder, Diane Ingham of Mount Pleasant, ON. They watched the filly improve this year's record to 1-2-0 in three starts. The lion's share of the purse bumped her lifetime earnings to $38,060.
Older trotters battled later on Monday's card in the $34,000 Preferred, and Take My Picture survived another first-over trip en route to winning for the tandem of driver Jack Moiseyev and trainer John Drennan.
Moiseyev got away third with Take My Picture while Watkins hustled to the lead from Post 9 and supplied the field with a :27-second opening panel. Watkins hit the half in :56.2 before being confronted in the backstretch by the first-over Take My Picture. Watkins was still in command at the three-quarter pole in 1:25.1, and he maintained that lead until halfway down the lane. Take My Picture used a :28-second closing quarter to post the win by a half-length margin over the late-rushing Nowucit Nowudont. Watkins had to settle for the show dough.
Sent off as the 8-5 favourite, Take My Picture extended his winning streak to three-in-a-row for owners Joe and Laurie Davino of Clarksburg, NJ. The victory improved the gelding's seasonal record to 6-1-1 from 12 trips to the track. The $17,000 payday bumped his overall cash stash to $742,832.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Woodbine Racetrack.