by Jeff Renton, media/communications, the Woodbine Entertainment Group

Toronto, March 27, 2005… The C$121,000 finale of the Damsel Pacing Series was expected to be an exciting tilt and it lived up to its billing, as Amethyst ($16.30, $11.20, $5.80) blasted up the cones late for driver Mario Baillargeon and posted a 1¼-length margin of victory in a stakes record 1:51.4 Sunday afternoon at Woodbine.

Coming from fourth-over off of the three-quarters pole, Croquette Hanover ($27.20, $12.60), in rein to Mike Saftic for trainer John Kopas, came on late to bottom out the $326.10 exactor. After making the lead in the late-goings, M T Freedom ($3.50), piloted by Keith Oliver for conditioner Bill Companion, hung on for third and rounded out the attractive $1,496.90 trifecta

Early Dismissal (Luc Ouellette) and Noble Sami (Chris Christoforou) finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

Owned by Florida’s Keisers Oberman Stables and Rodney Lorenzo, Amethyst, a four-year-old Miami Mogul—Sparkling Jewel mare, is a trainee of conditioner Kelly Sheppard. With the victory, the bay notched her 24th career win.

“I knew that she was able to go with those mares, I just thought that she was going to need a little bit of help, and she did,” said a triumphant Baillargeon during a winner’s circle interview with Woodbine Entertainment’s Chris Connor. “The rail opened up and Keith’s mare got a little bit tired.”

Facing nine fellow Ontario-sired four-year-old distaffers whom were non-winners of C$100,000 lifetime as of October 31, 2004, Baillargeon and Amethyst started from post position eight and were sent off at odds of 7-1.

Sending his mount right to the lead from the word go, Baillargeon, a resident of Milton, Ontario, was first to the opening call, which was reached in :27.3. Parked in second to the opening stanza, Respectednbeloved (Steve Condren), the 4-5 post time choice who showed a strong closing kick in the opening leg, cleared to the point early in the backstretch.

Taking his shot in the second panel, Keith Oliver led M T Freedom – who had the series sweep on her mind – to the front from the four-hole and met the half mile marker while overland in 56 seconds flat.

“I didn’t think Steve would have let Keith go, but he did,” continued Baillargeon. “As it turned out we got a little lucky, but I knew that [Amethyst] could go with them.”

Two lanes of flow developed in the third frame, yet M T Freedom kept rolling right along and tripped the three-quarters timer in 1:24. All the while, Baillargeon and Amethyst sat second on the pylons in fourth.

After leading at the head of the stretch, M T Freedom would succumb to Croquette Hanover – a 32-1 shot racing out wide – but it was Baillargeon and Amethyst who got the job done while flying home on the inside.

“What impresses me most is that fact that she was really sick in the first leg and [Sheppard] got her healthier in the second week and she was even better today,” explained Baillargeon.

In what was also a new life’s mark mile, Amethyst lowered the 1:52.2 stakes record, which was previously co-owned by Tattoo Hanover (2001) and Pronovais (2004).

A dominant force over the Pompano Park five-eights, Amethyst notched her second victory of the campaign in what was her third start.

“She’s a really great gaited mare and can leave the switch really well,” Baillargeon concluded. “I’m sure that she’s very good off the pace too. I just hope that she sticks around here because she may just be in the Fillies and Mares Open.”

War Paint solid in his 2005 debut

WEG Photo

War Paint posted a two-length victory in 1:54 in his seasonal debut.

With Paul MacDonell in the bike, War Paint ($6.50, $6.20, $3.30) made his six-year-old seasonal debut a successful one Sunday afternoon at Woodbine, as he posted a two-length victory in 1:54 during the card’s C$50,000 Open trot.

After JM Vangogh (Ron Waples) cut the opening quarter in :27.2, MacDonell sent War Paint (Malabar Man—Shoshone Kash) first-up from sixth in the second panel. Clearing to lead led shortly after JM Vangogn reached the half-mile pole in :57.2, War Paint went on to reach the three-quarters in 1:25.4 and marched home with a 28.1 final frame.

Driven by Mike Saftic for trainer Tony O’Sullivan, Our Man Josh ($25.00, $7.50) rounded out the $163.20 exactor while racing as a 50-1 shot. JM Vangogh ($2.80) held on for third, 3¼-lengths in arrears and completed the $494.40 trifecta

“He had some more there [in the lane],” MacDonell said afterwards. “But I didn’t want to extend him any more than I had to.”

Pick 7 pool at $24,834.56 heading into Monday

Punters who correctly selected five of the seven winners in Sunday’s Pick 7 wager collected $715.80 and a carryover of $24,834.56 will great Woodbine patrons when wagering opens Monday evening.

The winning numbers on Sunday were 1, 5, 8, 10, 4, 7 and 2. The correct horses were as follows: Roux Hanover ($3.90), Jojo In A Jiffy ($19.30), Amethyst ($16.30), Southwind Califon ($6.80), Moose Walz ($19.00), War Paint ($6.50) and Toby T Killean ($17.00).

The Pick 7 requires bettors to correctly select the winners of races 3 through 9. If there are no winning tickets, 25% of the net pool is paid out to the ticket holder(s) with the most correct winners, and the balance is then carried over to begin the next day’s Pick 7.