by Greg Blanchard, media/communications, Woodbine Entertainment Group

Campbellville, ON — Tilly Bomb lowered her lifetime mark by more than three full seconds in capturing Friday night’s (June 15) C$50,000 Elegantimage Stakes Consolation for 3-year-old filly trotters at Mohawk Racetrack.

With Mario Baillargeon in the bike, the Ohio-bred daughter of Chip Chip Hooray was sent to the front early and led through splits of :28.1, :58.4 and 1:28, before sprinting home in :27.3 for the 1:55.3 tally. Favorite Just Dandy finished second with Celebrity Feeling landing the show spot.

The smallish filly had actually caused a recall in the first attempt at starting the race, when she spooked from the start car and ran into number five Whitesand Electra.

“We actually got lucky tonight to get a second chance at it,” said an impressed trainer, Ben Baillargeon, following the race. “I only got her a week before the Elegantimage eliminations and didn’t know much about her. She was getting a good trip behind Vulcanize last week and she just got a bit crooked and hit one knee on the last turn. She just stopped trotting after that.

“I put a headpole on the inside this week and it took me all week to teach her to wear it. I also made a shoeing change, just putting something lighter on her and she was very good. She’s not very big, but she is a real handful around the barn and she is very fast, I know that.

“She’ll be coming back up this way in the Fall for some more stakes.”

Friday night’s win was the third in seven tries this season for Tilly Bomb, who is owned by the Slaughter Racing Stable LLC, Alex Rohrer and Jeremy Nalli. The lion’s share of the purse increased her career bankroll to over $80,000.

Arch Madness soars in Goodtimes Stakes Consolation

Arch Madness used a huge final quarter kick to capture Friday night’s C$50,000 Goodtimes Stakes Consolation at Mohawk in a lifetime best clocking of 1:53.4.

The colt rebounded brilliantly after making a miscue at the start of his elimination last Saturday night. In that race, he recovered to finish a close third, just missing a qualifying spot for the rich final.

On Friday night, with Steve Condren taking over the driving duties, the son of Balanced Image was eased away in fifth through the first quarter of :27.1. A hard-used Prayer I Am was on the lead at that point and continued on top through splits of :56.4 and 1:25.1 while coming under pressure from the first-over Andover Mark.

As the field neared the top of the stretch, Condren had worked his way into a good striking spot, but then had to go around stalled cover as Andover Mark began to tire. Out in the four-wide path at that point, Arch Madness dug in right to the wire and managed to prevail by a neck over Beer Budget, who had his first on-the-board finish this season. Prayer I Am finished a game third.

“I saw him (Arch Madness) race last week and the way he recovered after the start was really impressive,” said driver Steve Condren. “The girls that work for Trond (trainer Trond Smedshammer) said he was a little tricky in behind the gate and just to be a bit careful with him. Once he got away cleanly, he was perfect. That was a big effort considering we were probably over the half in around :58 seconds.”

The victory was the third in five outings this season for the colt who is owned by Marc Goldberg and Willow Pond LLC. Arch Madness has blossomed after a rookie season in which he raced twice, missing the board both times. He is eligible to The Canadian Trotting Classic later this summer at Mohawk.