by Ashley Mayotte, WEG communications

Campbellville, ON — Thirteen 3-year-old pacing fillies contested two Town Pro Stakes eliminations on Tuesday evening (July 5) at Mohawk, but only two have earned the right to pick their posts for the final.

Swinging Beauty captured the first C$20,000 elim as well as the first victory of her sophomore campaign for trainer Gregg McNair.

Swinging Beauty was a 1:52.3 winner in the first elimination.

Into the first turn, From The Start (Scott Zeron) inherited the lead from Taxi Fare Hanover (Jody Jamieson) who broke stride. From The Start took the opening panel in :27. Driver Doug McNair pulled the 1-5 favorite, Swinging Beauty, first-over from third and made a bid for the lead as the field entered the backstretch.

Swinging Beauty held the lead through fractions of :55 and 1:23.4 and paced home in a career best clocking of 1:52.3, a half-length ahead of From The Start. Artic Byrd (Sylvain Filion) finished third.

McNair explained that he had to think quickly and change his driving strategy when the field entered the first turn.

“I didn’t really want to cut it with her, but we got away fourth, kind of where we wanted,” he said. “I was going to wait as long as I could and then Jody (driver of Taxi Fare Hanover) ran and that kind of changed my plan so I removed her and Scotty (driver of From The Start) stung me pretty good in a half in :55, but she did what she had to do and won.”

With almost a week and a half layoff following the Fan Hanover Consolation, the Guelph resident believes the elimination win will act as a good prep.

“It will definitely help her,” McNair stated. “She didn’t do too much in-between, but this race will help her going into next week.”

The daughter of Art Major-Stunning Beauty is owned by William Switala and James Martin. The pacing miss has a lifetime record of 2-3-7 in 19 starts and boasts career earnings of $167,487. Swinging Beauty paid $2.60 to win.

The second dash was won by the heavily favored Timothy Pinske-trained Rockratese.

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Rockratese and Jody Jamieson were 1:52.1 winners in the second elim.

It was P L Emily (Chris Christoforou) who cut the opening quarter in :27.4, but into the backstretch Jody Jamieson sent Rockratese first-over from third. Rockratese cleared the front and hit the half in :56.1. Misty’s Art (Travis Henry) attempted to catch the leader into the last turn, but could not match Rockratese’s strides. The bettor’s choice passed the three-quarters in 1:23.4.

In deep stretch, Rockratese put in some steps, but held it together to win by two lengths in a new lifetime mark of 1:52.1. Rock For Glory (Scott Zeron) got up for second and Misty’s Art held on for third.

Following the win, Jamieson says he was confident that his filly would get them to the winner’s circle, even though it was a bumpy road to get there.

“She was a little rough at the head of the stretch, kind of gave me a little bit of a surprise there,” he said. “I thought it was going to be a little easier. She put a couple of steps in there and I nearly lost her, but she stayed at it and dug in to the wire.

“Once we hit the stretch and she put her head down and started pacing, I knew no one was going to get me.”

Jamieson admits he didn’t know too much about the bay so he did his research.

“It looks like the Pinske Stables are really high on her. They say she tries real hard and that was no different today.”

The win was Rockratese’s second of the season in six starts and third lifetime, which pushed her career earnings to $57,336 for the Pinske Stables of Plato, Minnesota. The daughter of Rocknroll Hanover-Merculese paid $2.70 to win.

Here is how the 3-year-old fillies will line up behind the gate for the C$60,000 Town Pro final on Tuesday, July 12.

PP-Horse-Listed Driver
1. Done Fooln Witcha-Sylvain Filion
2. Swinging Beauty-Doug McNair
3. Rockratese-Jody Jamieson
4. P L Emily-Chirs Christoforou
5. Misty’s Art-Travis Henry
6. From The Start-Scott Zeron
7. Rock For Glory-Scott Zeron
8. Kissngrin-Phil Hudon
9. Artic Byrd-Sylvain Filion
10. Artsy Princess-Rick Zeron
AE: Ms Curator-Randall Waples