The fields for next weekend's SBOA Stakes are set following a quartet of eliminations for the Ontario-sired three-year-old fillies on Saturday (May 13) at Mohawk Racetrack.
Sent postward as the overwhelming 1-5 bettors' choice in the first of two $25,000 trotting eliminations, 2016 O'Brien Award finalist Magic Presto was an easy winner in 1:55.1 for driver Trevor Henry and trainer Richard 'Nifty' Norman.
After first-half fractions of :27.4 and :57.4, Magic Presto made her move from third and gained the advantage outside of early leader Sweet Of My Heart (Chris Christoforou) on the way to three-quarters in 1:27.2. The favourite drew clear in the stretch while Royal Witch (Sylvain Filion) emerged from the outer flow and chased her home in second-place, finishing two and a half lengths behind. Tymal Reign (Randy Waples) got up for third while Holiday Promise (Jody Jamieson) and Expose Yourself (Wayne Henry) picked up the minor awards.
Magic Presto earned her first win of the year after trotting a 1:54.3 third-place mile in her season's debut at The Meadowlands last weekend. She paid $2.20 to win.
Last year, the Kadabra-In The Mean Time filly won four of her nine races, including the Goldsmith Maid in her final start, which boosted her freshman earnings to $393,049. She is owned by Melvin Hartman of Ottawa, Ont., along with U.S.-based partners Herb Liverman, David McDuffee, and Little E LLC.
Mrstery Bear pulled off a 10-1 upset in the second elimination as she prevailed from the pocket in a career-best clocking of 1:55.4 for trainer/owner Gaetan Hebert of Dundas, Ont.
Driven by Billy Davis Jr., the Majestic Son-Big Wiesy filly secured a two-hole trip behind 2-1 bettors' choice Paradise Image (Paul MacDonell), who carved out panels of :28, :57.4 and 1:26.4 and led by two lengths down the lane. However, Mrstery Bear sprang into action in deep stretch and hauled down Paradise Image while the late-closing Gravitator (Louis-Philippe Roy) took second just ahead of the favourite. Stuck In My Spanks (James MacDonald) advanced first-over to finish fourth while Anikadabra (Rick Zeron) was fifth.
Winless in four freshman starts, Mrstery Bear has now won two in a row and returned $22.30 to her backers at the betting windows.
Windy Sport delivered as the 2-1 favourite in the first elimination for the pacing fillies in wire-to-wire fashion and took a new lifetime mark of 1:51.3 in the process. Trainer Casie Coleman co-owns the Sportswriter-Wind Warning filly as part of the West Wins Stable along with Calhoun Racing Ltd. of Chatham, Ont.
Catch-driver Louis-Philippe Roy sent Windy Sport to the lead from post six, out-leaving eventual runner-up Dancing Shadows K (Randy Waples) in a :26.4 first quarter then cruised through middle splits of :56.1 and 1:24.1 en route to a four and a half-length victory -- her first of the season from three starts. Stonebridge Sundae (Rick Zeron) overtook Gottalovemyshadow (Jack Moiseyev) for third while Soiree Seelster (Sylvain Filion) rounded out the top five finish order.
An Ontario Sires Stakes Gold winner at two, Windy Sport now has three career wins from 13 starts and earnings over $158,000.
Later on the card, even-money favourite Fade completed a sweep of the pacing elims for Coleman and company with a 1:53.3 career-best performance.
Also driven by Roy, Fade marched up from third after the :27.4 opening quarter and confronted early leader Dudesalady (Jody Jamieson) at the :58 half-mile mark. She cleared shortly after and cruised past three-quarters in 1:26 on the way to her first win of the season. Talbot Chanel (Sylvain Filion) closed inside to edge out Dudesalady for the runner-up role, one and three-quarters length behind the winner, while Action Majesty (Doug McNair) rallied for fourth. Blameitonthenight (Randy Waples) finished fifth.
Fade, last year's OSS Super Final runner-up, now has two wins from 11 career starts and a bankroll totalling almost $160,000. She paid $4 to win.
Magic Presto and Windy Sport now hold the Canadian season's records for their respective divisions.
Both six-figure finals (post positions below) will be contested next Saturday, May 20, which is Family Fun & Fireworks Night with a special start time of 6:45 p.m.
In the weekly $34,000 Preferred, six-year-old pacer Jins Shark ($6.60) and driver Trevor Henry just held off first-over advancer Ellis Park (Randy Waples) to win a photo finish in 1:52.3. Isaac Waxman trains the Four Starzzz Shark-Gordons Jin MS gelding, who set fractions of :27, :56.4 and 1:25.2 en route to his fourth win in a row. American Virgin (Doug McNair) held third off a pocket trip.
In other action, local top-ranked North America Cup eligibles Sports Column (10-1 third choice in Trot Magazine's Spring Book) and Streakavana (16-1 sixth choice) made their season's debuts in a $20,000 conditioned pace.
Last year's Battle Of Waterloo champion and O'Brien finalist Sports Column (Chris Christoforou) rushed to the lead after a :26.4 first quarter and posted middle splits of :56 and 1:24.2 before four-year-olds P L Jackson (Travis Cullen) and Always A Hotshot (Roger Mayotte) swept by him to finish first and second in the 1:52 mile. Streakavana (Sylvain Filion) finished fifth.
$130,130 SBOA Stakes Final - Trotting Fillies
1. Stuck In My Spanks
2. Paradise Image
3. Magic Presto
4. Mrstery Bear
5. Expose Yourself
6. Gravitator
7. Royal Witch
8. Anikadabra
9. Tymal Reign
10. Holiday Promise
AE1. Sweet Of My Heart
$132,130 SBOA Stakes Final - Pacing Fillies
1. Soiree Seelster
2. Talbot Chanel
3. Fade
4. Windy Sport
5. Blameitonthenight
6. Dancing Shadows K
7. Stonebridge Sundae
8. Gottalovemyshadow
9. Dudesalady
10. Acton Majesty
AE1. Manhattan Play
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Mohawk Racetrack.