by Mark McKelvie, WEG Communications

Campbellville, ON — Maplelea got back to her winning ways with an impressive 1:51.4 victory in round two of the Princess Series Friday night (May 1) at Mohawk Racetrack.

A competitive field of six contested the C$20,000 second leg of the Princess Series Friday. The odds board told the story of round two, as the top three choices, Maplelea at 8-5 and Cast No Shadow and Moonlit Dance at 9-5 odds, would all finish within less than a length of each other to make up the triactor.

New Image Media photo

Maplelea won a tight photo in the second leg of the Princess Series at Mohawk.

Moonlit Dance, the first leg winner, took the lead in the second quarter and would post a half of :55.4. Around the final turn, Cast No Shadow came first up, while Maplelea and driver Rick Zeron caught that cover to be situated in a perfect second over position.

After reaching the three-quarter pole in 1:24.4, Moonlit Dance brought the field into the stretch with the outside challengers breathing down her neck. Cast No Shadow would take a slight lead over Moonlit Dance, but Maplelea would find her best stride on the far outside to grind by Cast No Shadow in deep stretch and score a half-length victory. Moonlit Dance battled tough along the inside, but had to settle for third.

Maplelea stopped the timer in a sharp 1:51.4 to knock two seconds off her previous career mark. A daughter of Sportswriter, Maplelea is owned and trained by Andrew Moore.

The sophomore pacing filly made a name for herself earlier this season by winning five consecutive starts. Maplelea’s win streak came to an end with a fourth place finish in the Blossom Series final two starts back. Last week, she finished second in the first leg of the Princess.

Maplelea now sports a record of eight wins from 12 starts in 2015. The winner’s share of the purse Friday evening pushes the Moore trainee’s career earnings over the C$100,000 mark. A $2 win ticket on Maplelea returned $5.30.

In order to be eligible to the Princess Series, the 3-year-old pacing fillies had to be non-winners of C$100,000 in 2014. The C$59,400 Princess Series final will take place next Saturday (May 8) at Mohawk. Along with the Princess final, the C$60,000 final of The Diplomat will be contested next Saturday evening.