Canadian Breeders Championship elims featured at Mohawk

Six Canadian Breeders Championship eliminations for sophomore fillies – two $36,118 divisions for pacers and four $20,486 splits for trotters – put the ladies centre stage at Mohawk Friday night.

In the first division for pacers, trainer/driver Mike Vanderkemp scored a surprise victory with Southwind Swallow, who has a talent for picking up cheques without visiting the winner’s circle. The daughter of No Pan Intended took advantage of an opening on the inside down the stretch and scooted past favourite, Changing Gears (Jack Moiseyev) to win by a length in a new lifetime clocking of 1:52.0. It was the first win in nine starts this season for Southwind Swallow, who upped her earnings to $121,216 for owners,Adam Victor and Son Stable, and Blue Chip Bloodstock Inc.

A Feisty Affair was third, and fourth- and fifth-placed St Lads Seraph, and Elizamotion, also earned spots in next Saturday’s CBC final.

Morning line favourite, Im Just Special, didn’t disappoint in the second elim for pacing fillies, using a pocket trip to score her third consecutive win for driver Mike Saftic and trainer Tom Artandi. A daughter of Camluck, Im Just Special tucked in behind mid-race pacesetter Voelz Hanover (Mario Baillargeon) and dueled with her down the stretch, grabbing a quarter-length victory in a new lifetime mark of 1:51.0. Shipps Bikini grabbed the show spot with Style Semalu and Has An Attitude also gaining places in the final.

The field for next Saturday’s $168,551 CBC final for three-year-old filly pacers looks like this:
1. Style Semalu
2. Southwind Swallow
3. Im Just Special
4. Elizamotion
5. Has An Attitude
6. Voelz Hanover
7. A Fiesty Affair
8. Changing Gears
9. Shipps Bikini
10. St Lads Seraph
AE1. Gerries Madison

On the trotting side, Jayporthasitall (Brad Forward) overcame heavy favourite, Somebody to Love, in the first of the four elims to win by a decisive four and three-quarters lengths over Torch (Mark MacDonald) and Kadealia (Jack Moiseyev). Her time of 1:55.3 was a new lifetime best. Dan Creighton trains the daughter of Striking Sahbra for the Danterra Racing Stable of Strathroy, Ontario.

Pasadena Princess won by open lengths in the second of the four splits for trotters, with Randy Waples at the lines. The effort was a career best 1:56.3 over Appleby Hall (Trevor Ritchie) and Magical Memories (Mario Baillargeon). The daughter of Berndt Hanover is trained by Bob McIntosh, who co-owns the filly with the C S X Stable Inc. of Liberty Center, Ohio.

In the third split, Feels Like Magic and Bill O’Donnell came from behind to snatch a one-length victory from Abby Kadabra (Rick Zeron) and pacesetter Good Common Cents (Keith Oliver) in 1:56.1, yet another career best. Kevin O’Reilly trains the daughter of Kadabra, who has scored two wins and two seconds in four starts this season, for the Feels Like Magic Stable of Campbellville, Ontario.

The fourth and final CBC trotting elim highlighted a return to form for filly Bella Dolce, who triumphed by two lengths for driver Paul MacDonell in 1:55.1. Condi Lane (Dave Boughton) and Benediction Lady (Mike Vanderkemp) finished in a dead-heat for second. Bella Dolce recently relocated to the Kevin O’Reilly barn alongside Feels Like Magic, and looks to be returning to the winning style she showed as a freshman, when she won eight of 11 starts and over $300,000.

The field for next Saturday’s $191,206 CBC final for three-year-old trotting fillies looks like this:
1. Condi Lane
2. Jayporthasitall
3. Pasadena Princess
4. Bella Dolce
5. Feels Like Magic
6. Torch
7. Abby Kadabra
8. Magical Memories
9. Benediction Lindy
10. Appleby Hall
AE1. Kadealia

(WEG)

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