by Greg Blanchard, Assistant Raceway Manager, Western Fair Raceway

London, ON — The favorites in Saturday night’s (Oct. 23) two C$15,000 Forest City eliminations for pacing mares, Dreamfair Eternal and Voelz Hanover, came through at Western Fair but with opposite racing styles.

The eliminations determined the starters for next Saturday’s C$167,000 final of the Forest City, the mare companion event to Western Fair’s signature race, the Molson Pace.

The first division was a coming home of sorts for world champion and recent Breeders Crown winner Dreamfair Eternal who is owned by breeder John Lamers of nearby Ingersoll, Ontario. It was the first start at the London half-miler for Dreamfair Eternal since May of 2007 and she had to work hard to earn her fourth straight victory.

A Ps Money Maker, who recently established a new track record at Mohawk, was the early leader for Rick Zeron and guided the five mares through opening splits of :27.2 and :57.3. Randy Waples pulled Dreamfair Eternal out from fourth just past that marker and was gaining steadily on the leader through the 1:26.3 three-quarters.

Down the stretch the two mares battled with A Ps Money Maker not giving an inch and it was a photo finish at the wire reached in 1:55 with Dreamfair Eternal getting the nod. A Ps Money Maker, who was riding her own streak with two straight wins, had to settle for second while Call Me Yours and Dave Wall were third. Arts Diva grabbed the final spot in next week’s final by finishing fourth.

A 6-year-old daughter of Camluck, Dreamfair Eternal is now 13-4-1 in 19 starts for C$818,000 in earnings this year. Trained by Patrick Fletcher, Dreamfair Eternal would go over the C$1 million mark in 2010 earnings should she be victorious in next week’s Forest City Final.

In the second elimination it was Lady Latte and Doug McNair with the early lead but before the field reached the opening quarter in :27.3 Mario Baillargeon had heavy favorite Voelz Hanover out from fourth to claim the front and no one touched her from there.

She reeled off panels of :56.4 and 1:26 and was home with lengths to spare in 1:54.4. Lady Latte, Artimittateslife and Sammy Syd all earned berths into next week’s rich final.

Richard Berthiaume owns the winner, a 5-year-old daughter of Astreos. Baillargeon’s brother Ben handles the training on the mare who has close to C$250,000 earned this year. The victory put her well over the C$900,000 mark lifetime.