by Ashley Mayotte, WEG Communications

Campbellville, ON — Valdonna delivered a new stakes record in the lone C$209,871 Simcoe division for 3-year-old trotting fillies on Thursday night (Sept. 6) at Mohawk.

The Jimmy Takter trainee got under the wire in 1:52.4 with David Miller in the sulky.

Valdonna lowered the Simcoe Stakes record to 1:52.4.

While tempo-setter Bluff (Scott Zeron) put up fractions of :27.2 and :56.2, Valdonna sat patiently in fourth, but when the fillies entered the final turn, the 3-5 favorite was on the move.

As soon as Bluff clocked the three-quarters in 1:24.4, Valdonna took command and continued to draw away from the field with ease to score the 3-1/2 length victory. A late-rallying Miss Paris (Rick Zeron) and Dream On Hanover (Randy Waples) finished second and third, respectively.

It was the first time Miller drove the filly and he took the advice that both Takter and owner Myron Bell of Brittany Farms gave him.

“They told me not to get in a big hurry with her, just kind of let her do it on her own and not to rush her,” said Miller. “She raced very well.”

Valdonna’s record is two-fifths of a second better than the previous record set in 2006 by the Brad Maxwell-trained Pure Ivory. The daughter of Andover Hall-Valbonne has a lifetime record of 4-2-0 from 13 starts and career earnings of C$253,987 for Brittany Farms. Valdonna paid $3.40 to win.

To Dream On streaks to five in Peaceful Way elim

To Dream On kept her undefeated freshman record intact with a career-best equaling score in her C$30,000 Peaceful Way elimination for 2-year-old trotting fillies on Thursday night at Mohawk.

To Dream On remained unbeaten with a 1:54 score in her Peaceful Way elim.

The Jimmy Takter trainee stopped the clock in 1:54, matching her own North American season’s-best record, which she set in the Merrie Annabelle final at the Meadowlands on August 4.

To Dream On and driver David Miller got away fifth behind Bethel Hanover (Randy Waples), who clocked the first quarter in :28, but the 1-9 favorite was quickly on the move into the backside.

To Dream On easily cleared to front and put up fractions of :57 and 1:25.4 en route to the 3-1/4 length triumph. Shared Past (Yannick Gingras) stayed for second and Antsy Dancey (Sylvain Filion) got up for third.

“I only had to pull (the ear plugs) once and that was in the Merrie Annabelle final,” offered Miller after the victory. “Tonight she was well in hand there so I felt no need to pull them.”

The daughter of Credit Winner-Satin Pillows has stashed away C$221,332 in earnings for owners Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld. To Dream On returned $2.30 to win.

In the other Peaceful Way elimination, Bee A Magician found the winner’s circle for the fourth consecutive time while lowering her lifetime mark to 1:54.3.

New Image Media photos

Bee A Magician was a 1:54.3 winner for driver Rick Zeron.

The Richard ‘Nifty’ Norman pupil settled on the rail in fourth while Zorgwijk Nova (Jody Jamieson) cut the opening panel in :29.1. Into the backstretch, driver Rick Zeron and Bee A Magician launched a first-over attack and swiftly cleared to the front to clock the half in :58.

The 1-5 favorite hit the three-quarters in 1:26.4 before unleashing a :27.4 final frame to score by two lengths over Zorgwijk Nova. Handover Belle (Mike Lachance) got up for third.

“She has such a wonderful kick coming for home,” said Zeron from the winner’s circle. “It is very exhilarating, I guess, to move a 2-year-old filly over like that and have that much speed coming for home.”

The daughter of Kadabra-Beehive has a 6-1-0 record from eight starts, including a victory in a Champlain Stakes division and an Ontario Sires Stakes Gold final. With the lion’s share of the purse, the trotting miss pushed her earnings to C$233,690 for owners Melvin Hartman, Herb Liverman and David McDuffee. Bee A Magician paid $2.70 to win.

The top five finishers from each elimination advance to the C$435,000 Peaceful Way final, set for Saturday (Sept. 15), part of the Canadian Trotting Classic undercard.

Here is the field for the C$435,000 Peaceful Way final: 1. Samartina, 2. Bee A Magician, 3. Shared Past, 4. To Dream On, 5. Massmanian Devil, 6. Online Exclusive, 7. Antsy Dancey, 8. Lady Dynamite, 9. Handover Belle, 10. Zorgwijk Nova, AE: Cardio Pump.