from Greg Blanchard (WEG Media)

Toronto, ON — Cats Meow survived a close four-way photo to win the C$80,000 Damsel Pacing Series Final for 3 and 4-year-old fillies and mares on Thursday night at Woodbine Racetrack.

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Cats Meow won the Damsel Pacing Series Final for 3and 4-year-old fillies and mares on Thursday night at Woodbine Racetrack.

With Randy Waples in the driver’s seat, the 4-year-old daughter of Goliath Bayama – Cataclysm got away second in the first quarter behind longshot Keepers Destiny who shot straight to the front from post 10.

Cats Meow made a quarter-pole move to the lead just after the :27.3 first panel before facing first-over pressure from A Special Lady just after the first half of :56 seconds. Cats Meow was able to fend off that challenge in the third quarter and led past the third station in 1:24.2.

As the field turned for home, Cats Meow had to dig deep to hold on with Yankeelicious and Keepers Destiny both looking for racing room along the inside and A Special Lady trying to re-rally in the closing strides.

Cats Meow found the wire in time with a 1:53.4 clocking, holding off Yankeelicious by a neck with Keepers Destiny a lapped-on third. The winner returned $11.90 in pulling off the mild upset and triggered a whopping superfecta worth $18,124.95.

The victory was the second in eight starts this season for the John Hayes trainee who is owned by Alan Kirschenbaum of Burbank, California.