Dancer, Darlin in Fan elims

Armbro Dancer proved that her impressive win in the Mistletoe Shalee was no fluke as she took one of two Fan Hanover eliminations Saturday night at Mohawk. The other split went to Darlin's Delight..

Armbro Dancer, a daughter of Blissfull Hall, overcame both the dreaded nine hole and 2005 Dan Patch winner My Little Dragon, as the Jimmy Takter pupil went on to post a three-quarter length victory in 1:52.4 during what was a multiple-move performance.

Owned by Louie Camara of Puslinch, Ontario, Armbro Dancer sprinted off the gate for driver Ron Pierce and was the first one to the :26.4 opening quarter marker - impressive considering the 'good' track which was rated one second slow.

After being caught uncovered on the outside, driver Mark MacDonald hustled Bolero Toki to the lead from the back of the pack. Driver Brian Sears then instantly tipped My Little Dragon out from third and went to the lead just after the half-mile clock froze in :55.1.

Displaying her second move in the dash, Armbro Dancer ($6.90, $2.80, $2.90) went after My Little Dragon ($2.30, $2.10) on the final turn and was almost up to even terms at the 1:24.1 three-quarters of a mile marker.

The pair battled it out through the lane, but it was Armbro Dancer who prevailed in what was her 11th career victory, topping both a $1370 exactor and a $227.20 triactor.

Caviart Sydney ($12.10) finished third for driver Steve Condren, and Don't You Smile (driver Jody Jamieson) and Three Men Dream (Luc Ouellette) finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

"My Little Dragon is a very special filly, and I wasn't sure that she wouldn't come back on and beat us," Pierce explained about the ongoing battle through the homestretch. "Jimmy Takter has done a wonderful job of getting [Armbro Dancer] up on her toes * he has her really sharp right now."

With the win, Armbro Dancer, a career winner of 411,079 in purses, now sports a seasonal record of six wins and a lone second-place finish from eight starts, good for $233,051.

She was bet down to even money, but Darlins Delight ($4.10, $3.50, $2.30) and driver Yannick Gingras gave the chalk players a scare in the second elimination, as the duo had to grind from well off the pace to notch a three-quarters of a length victory in 1:52.4 for trainer Jeff Stafford.

Eternitys Delight ($6.20, $3.80) and driver John Campbell finished second, capping the $22.10 exactor, while Blissful Smile ($7.70) and pilot Mike Saftic finished third, two lengths short of Darlins Delight, and wrapped up the 173.10 triactor.

Ireneonthemove (driven by Mark MacDonald) and One Ace Too Many (Jack Moiseyev) finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

"We wanted to race her from behind. We didn't want to get away eighth, but that's the way it unfolded," Gingras said of Darlins Delight, a White Birch Farm homebred who sat well back through the 27-second opening quarter, the 56-second opening half-mile and the 1:24.2 three-quarters. "I didn't think I was going to reach [the leaders] * I was too far back. It's pretty hard to be three-wide here on the last turn, and I was pretty well three-deep for the whole turn.

"I didn't think I was going to reach, and at that point I would've been happy to gain entrance to the final."

From eight races this season, Darlins Delight, a Bettors Delight bay who was fourth-over in her elim, has a record of five wins and two second-place finishes, good for $145,015 in purses.

Overall in her career, Darlins Delight has 14 wins and $747,622 in purses, and has only missed the board once.

After the eliminations were complete, the post position draw for the $709,100 final (August 26) was conducted.

Via their horses' elimination victories, the connections of Darlins Delight and Armbro Dancer earned the right to select their charges' post position.

Fan Hanover final
Post Position - Horse - Driver
1 - Three Men Dreamin - L. Ouellette
2 - Eternitys Delight - J. Campbell
3 - Armbro Dancer - R. Pierce
4 - Darlins Delight - Y. Gingras
5 - Blissful Smile - M. Saftic
6 - Ireneonthemove - Ma. MacDonald
7 - Don't You Smile - J. Jamieson
8 - My Little Dragon - B. Sears
9 - On Ace Too Many - J. Moiseyev
10 - Caviart Sydney - S. Condren
AE1 - Flo Found George - J. Moiseyev

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