Mohawk shipper Call Me Maybe delivered as the 3-5 favourite in the featured $10,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred 2 Pace on Grand River Raceway's Canada Day program, Wednesday, July 1.
Driver Bob McClure settled Call Me Maybe into sixth-place early on while Bestulldotanite (Bruce Richardson) and Windsong Glamorous (Billy Davis Jr.) battled for the early lead into a :26.4 first quarter. Bestulldotanite cleared Windsong Glamorous just past the quarter-mile and took a second quarter breather to the half in :56.4. Meanwhile, Call Me Maybe followed Winbak Your Cash (Paul MacKenzie) to the outside and then went three-wide nearing the 1:26 third quarter mark. Call Me Maybe remained wide as Windsong Glamorous pulled the pocket turning for home and then surged by the early speedters in deep stretch for the 1:55.2 triumph. Bestulldotanite held for second over Windsong Glamorous one and a half lengths behind.
Following the race, Call Me Maybe and her connections returned to the winner's circle to the tune of Canadian singer-songwriter Carly Rae Jepsen's Juno Award-winning hit that the mare was named after.
Call Me Maybe, who has competed on the Woodbine Entertainment Group circuit for most of the season, scored her last win, a 1:52.3 career-best effort, on June 12 at Mohawk. She now has four wins in 24 starts this year and seasonal earnings amounting to $53,224.
The four-year-old daughter of Santanna Blue Chip is owned and was bred by B. Michael Timpano of Phelpston, Ont. and Seaspray Stables Ltd. of Nanaimo, B.C.
The win was the third of the night for McClure and second teaming up with trainer Craig Gilmour, who had a perfect night at the track also scoring with four-year-old pacing mare Missevil, also co-owned by Timpano.
In the evening's ninth race, Neils Golden Girl provided 24-year-old Brantford, Ont. horseman Cody Henry with his first training win. Driven by Henry's brother Travis in her first start off the claim for owners Lois and Wayne Allison, the five-year-old trotting mare prevailed by half a length in 2:00.2. She was Henry's first starter of the year.
To view Wednesday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Wednesday Results - Grand River Raceway.