by Jeff Renton, media/communications, the Woodbine Entertainment Group
Campbellville, May 13, 2004… Slated as the sixth race (9:20 p.m.) on Mohawk’s Friday program of racing, the C$48,000 Fillies and Mares Open pace boasts a solid field of nine, highlighted by Eternal Camnation, who will be making her 2004 Canadian debut.
Having drawn the five-hole, Eternal Camnation and driver Luc Ouellette have been pegged as the 8-5 favourite in the morning line odds.
The richest pacing mare that the sport has ever produced, Eternal Camnation capped-off her 2003 campaign in style at Delaware’s Dover Downs, sweeping last year’s installment of The Classic Series and earning her connections a $250,000 “Series Sweep” bonus to boot.
So, as part of the Eternal Camantion Stable, trainer Jeff Miller thought he would start the mare back up right where she left off: The Classic Series.
After a pair of victorious qualifiers at Indiana’s Hoosier Park, the seven-year-old daughter of Cam Fella—Cool World participated in the first two preliminary legs, which were raced on April 19 and May 1. With her trusty pilot Eric Ledford at her lines for the two dashes, Eternal Camnation finished eighth (4½-lengths behind a victorious Bunny Lake) in the opening round, pacing her mile in 1:51.1. Utilizing an off-the-pace style in the second round, the career-earner of $3,392,198 closed hard with a final quarter-mile of :26.4 and finished fourth (2¼-lengths behind winner Carolina Sunshine), pacing her mile in 1:50.2.
Traditionally, Eternal Camantion has proven to be a slow starter and has began to flourish once she performs over Canadian soil. Although, the Lewis Arno-bred isn’t going to have it easy on Friday, as the rest of the field of nine know how to knock heads with the best of them.
Jasper Avenue, who in the first two legs of The Classic Series finished fourth and third respectively, is coming in after pacing both a 1:50.3 and a 1:50.1 mile so far in the series. Randy Waples, who currently sits second in wins (115), earnings ($2,200,008) and U.D.R.S. (.297) on the WEG circuit, will be at her lines for trainer Nat Varty. A homebred of London, Ontario’s William Loyen’s, Jasper Avenue is a four-year-old Village Jasper-—Lobro Xanadu mare who has compiled a record of 9-6-4, a mark of 1:51.1, and $332,251 in earnings from 27 career starts. She notched her only win in three starts this year in this same event on April 9. She and Waples will be leaving from along the rail and have been instilled as the 3-1 second choice in the early odds.
After taking last Friday’s Fillies and Mares Open in 1:52.4 gate-to-wire mile, Joe Stutzman trainee Artaffection has been deemed the 5-1 third choice tomorrow and will again have Chris Christoforou in tow. Holding a record of 2-1-3 and $76,729 in earnings from 11 starts this year, the seven-year-old daughter of Artsplace—Sweet Affection will leave from the six-hole. Owned by the Lightning 5 Stable of New York, the Shoot The Moon Stable of Pennsylvania along with Ontario’s Terry Barnett and Harness The Power Canada, Artaffection has logged the most miles of the bunch (134) in her career and has posed for 22 winner’s photos overall.
Looking to improve on her sixth-place finish in last week’s contesting of the Fillies and Mares Open, Jet Lag N and pilot Steve Condren are set to take flight from the two-hole and the pair have been measured as the 8-1 fourth selection in the morning line odds. A five-year-old Direct Flight—I Like Motoring mare trained by Gregg McNair for New Jersey’s Richard Banca, Jet Lag N made her start last week after having scratch out of the same event one week before. Currently holding a seasonal record of 6-2-1 and $120,200 in earnings from 13 starts, Jet Lag N lowered her mark to 1:50 April 10 at the Meadowlands.
The complete field for the Fillies and Mares Open is as follows:
PP – Horse – Driver – Trainer – Line
1 – Jasper Avenue – Ra. Waples – N. Varty – 3-1
2 – Jet Lag N – S. Condren – G. McNair – 8-1
3 – Time Flies N – M. Baillargeon – M. Harder – 12-1
4 – Sure Sign – P. MacDonell – C. Connor – 12-1
5 – Eternal Camnation – L. Ouellette – J. Miller – 8-5
6 – Artaffection – C. Christoforou – J. Stutzman – 5-1
7 – Jessica Joy A – T. Ritchie – C. Campbell – 15-1
8 – Flavor Of The Day – M. Macdonald – W. Preszcator – 10-1
9 – Always Cam – M. Saftic – W. Zendt – 10-1
Before the Fillies and Mares Open can take center stage, the Junior Free For All trotters will tour the Campbellville oval in Race 2 (8:00 p.m.), gunning for a C$48,000 purse.
The seven-horse field is as follows:
PP – Horse – Driver – Trainer – Line|
1 – Super Spicy – R. Zeron – R. Zeron – 7-1
2 – Earl Of Brant – S. Condren – W. Ozinga – 8-1
3 – Cosington – T. Ritchie – D. Menary – 3-1
4 – Son Of Grace – M. Saftic – G. McNair – 9-2
5 – Hez Striking – P. MacDonell – B. Pelling – 5-2
6 – Diamond Goal – M. Vanderkemp – M. Vanderkemp – 3-1
7 – True Story – C. Christoforou – N. Varty – 7-1
Mr Eero recovers for the win in his seasonal debut
WEG photo.
Mr Eero recovered from an early break to win his first start of the year in 1:55.
After making a break after the quarter-pole, driver Trevor Ritchie rallied Mr Eero ($3.80, $2.90, $2.50) from the back of the pack to win the C$38,000 optional claiming trot in 1:55 Thursday evening at Mohawk.
Trained by Gary Bourgon for Georgetown, Ontario’s Erkki Laakkonen, Mr Eero was making his first start this year after a stellar three-year-old campaign. Having gone 8-1-1 and banking $389,406 as a three-year-old, the gelded son of Conway Hall—Mistress Ann was coming in off of a pair of victorious qualifying efforts.
Eligible to the Maple Leaf Trot (September 18 at Mohawk), Mr Eero made the break after the :27.4 quarter-pole, yet caught back up to the pack after the :57.2 half-mile as the rest of the field headed into the final turn. After the third panel flashed up in 1:26.2, Ritchie sent Mr Eero six-wide through the lane and triumphed by three-quarters of a length.
Hollins Glide ($4.40, $4.30) was second and Eldorado Max ($10.90) finished three lengths back in third.
Mr Eero now has $382,460 in career earnings and nine overall tallies.
The victory gave Ritchie wins in all of the three dashes he participated in on the evening.