by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — Getting to drive Angies Lucky Star was good fortune for Sylvain Filion and he hopes to make the most of the opportunity on Saturday night.

Filion has been driving Angies Lucky Star in recent weeks because her regular pilot, co-owner Trevor Henry, is overseas as Canada’s representative in the World Driving Championship. On Saturday, Filion will be at the lines when the 3-year-old filly trotter competes in the C$364,266 Elegantimage Stakes at Mohawk Racetrack.

Angies Lucky Star, who last week won her Elegantimage elimination by four lengths over favorite Shared Past in a lifetime-best 1:53.1, is the 4-1 second choice on the morning line for Saturday’s final. Bee A Magician, who won the other Elegantimage elim by a half-length over Princess Lilly in 1:53.3, is the even-money favorite.

New Image Media photo

Angies Lucky Star is 4-1 on the morning line in the Elegantimage Stakes at Mohawk.

“Last week she raced amazing,” Filion said about Angies Lucky Star. “I was lucky to get this drive. She’s a pretty complete filly; she’s as good off the pace, in a hole or on the front end. So far I’ve got no complaints.”

Angies Lucky Star has won two of four races this year, along with one second- and third-place finish, and earned $38,975 for trainers Richard Moreau and Shannon Henry. She is owned by Trevor Henry Stables and the estate of Daniel McCann. For her career, the daughter of stallion Angus Hall and mare Angie Blue Chip has won five of 17 starts and $172,797.

Purchased for $15,000 at the Canadian Yearling Sale, Angies Lucky Star’s family includes Hambletonian winners Christopher T (1974), Timothy T (1970) and Hanover’s Bertha (1930) plus 1978 Hambletonian Oaks champ Cora T.

Filion, who has driven Angies Lucky Star in her last three starts, said Henry’s instructions prior to leaving for the World Driving Championship in France were “not to screw this up.” Filion added with a laugh, “I told him the same.”

While Henry has struggled at the WDC because of a lack of horsepower, he seems to have left Filion with plenty.

“She’s pretty easy to drive, which makes my job easy,” Filion said.

Of course Filion and Angies Lucky Star don’t face an easy task in the Elegantimage final. Bee A Magician, who was voted Canada’s best 2-year-old filly trotter last year and has won 14 of 17 career races, is 4-for-4 this season as she looks for her fourth career open stakes victory.

The field also includes To Dream On, who was voted the best 2-year-old filly trotter in the U.S. last season and has won eight of 11 lifetime starts, including the 2012 Breeders Crown. To Dream On is winless in two races this year and finished third in her Elegantimage elim.

“Bee A Magician is the one to beat and proved it last year and the way she has raced this year,” Filion said. “I thought she was a little flat last week, but I’m sure she will bounce back and race the way she can.

“But a race is a race. Maybe she gets roughed up a little bit and we can go by her in the lane. But we’re definitely going to need some luck.”

Filion, who was Canada’s Driver of the Year last season, is poised for a big night at Mohawk. His drives Saturday night also include Fool Me Once (4-1) in the C$1 million Pepsi North America Cup for 3-year-old pacers, Intense America (10-1) in the C$271,470 Armbro Flight for older female trotters and Gotta Secret (5-1) in the C$225,276 Goodtimes for 3-year-old trotters.

“If luck is on my side I could have a good night,” Filion said. “People ask me if I’m nervous, but I’m very excited. I’m more pumped and excited than nervous right now.”

Following is the field in post position order for the Elegantimage with listed drivers and trainers: 1. Mistery Woman, David Miller, Jonas Czernyson; 2. Bee A Magician, Rick Zeron, Nifty Norman; 3. Angies Lucky Star, Sylvain Filion, Richard Moreau; 4. Seeuinthespring, Anthony MacDonald, Ronald Parsons; 5. To Dream On, Yannick Gingras, Jimmy Takter; 6. Handover Belle, Mike Lachance, Tony Alagna; 7. Princess Lilly, Mario Baillargeon, Benoit Baillargeon; 8. Rockin With Dewey, Randy Waples, B. Baillargeon; 9. Shared Past, Tim Tetrick, Czernyson; 10. Charmed Life, Paul MacDonell, John Bax.