Western Terror freshmen sweep BC filly pace elims

Western Silk was silky smooth in capturing the first of two $25,475 eliminations for next week’s lucrative Breeders’ Crown final for two-year-old pacing lasses, while Higher and Higher held off favoured Put On A Show to take the second, Friday evening at Woodbine.

 

Mark MacDonald engineered the victory for Western Silk, who pocket-sat behind Fancy Filly (Brian Sears) through the far turn. As they entered the stretch the pair locked horns, with Western Silk wearing down her rival in the final strides and stopping the timers in 1:52.1, a neck ahead of Fancy Filly.

 

Full Picture (Richard Silverman) stepped up for third, with Cannae Cammie and Ticket To Rock rounding out the top five advancing to the October 24 final.

 

Western Silk, a daughter of Western Terror trained and co-owned by Casie Coleman and Tom Hill, can now boast six wins in 11 career starts. She shaved a full second off her previous lifetime speed mark this evening.

 

“I thought she raced huge,” said MacDonald. “She’s been awesome her last three starts, winning under wraps.”

 

In the final Breeders’ Crown elimination for two-year-olds, the lead changed hands several times before Higher And Higher (Dave Palone) emerged from the fracas to take command. In the stretch, Jody Jamieson shifted the unbeaten Put On A Show into gear to challenge on the outside, but the Rocknroll Hanover filly couldn’t quite get past Higher And Higher, who hung tough to win in 1:52.4.

 

Put On A Show was a head in arrears for second, and Casino Nights slipped into the show spot, with Slimsplace and Panagler filling out the top five.

 

Palone noted, “You don’t want to race them too hard if you don’t have to in the elims, but at the same time you want them on their toes. So I just wanted to float up there if I could and when I got the cheap half, I knew I was in good shape. I knew Put On A Show was coming and coming hard, so I had to ask her a little at the end but she was there, she responded.”

 

Higher And Higher, a daughter of Western Terror, is trained by Tracy Brainard for the Bulletproof Enterprises. She has scored five wins in seven career starts and has accumulated a bankroll of over $350,000. (WEG)