Woodbine Mohawk Park: Favored fillies roll in She's A Great Lady elims

All the owners of the horses going into Saturday's two C$35,000 eliminations of the She's A Great Lady for rookie pacing fillies at Woodbine Mohawk Park were hoping to earn a spot into next week's rich final, but one maybe a bit more than the others.

Diamond Creek Farm has been home to the race's namesake for close to two decades, and it would mean the world to them to win the race while the now 30-year-old mare is still alive. That dream drew closer to reality when their homebred, Charleston, was a very impressive winner in the first division (defeating another filly bred by the Pennsylvania nursery, Horizontal).

With Dexter Dunn at the controls, Charleston settled into fifth early in the field reduced to six with the scratch of Savethelastdance. Horizontal and Sylvain Filion set the tempo of 27 3/5 and 56 2/5. Dunn pulled the right line just past that marker and grabbed cover from pocket-sitter Treacherous Penny as they passed the three-quarters in 1:24 3/5.

Down the stretch Charleston sailed on by to hit the wire in 1:51 3/5, followed by Horizontal, who held off Treacherous Penny for place. The top five from each division earned a spot into the final, so Front Page Story and Reggae Hanover also advanced.

It was the fifth win in six lifetime starts (the other was a second) and a new life mark for Charleston, a daughter of Downbytheseaside bred and owned by Diamond Creek and trained by Brett Pelling. Charleston is a half-sister to Pure Country, a winner of more than C$2.6 million in her career.

"She's obviously a really nice filly, really fast, she rallied good," Dunn reported. As for the tepid fractions up front he smiled and said: "I was quite happy with them; we weren't too far off the speed. As Brett said she's getting better every week."

In the second division it was Sylvia Hanover extending her streak as she notched her fourth straight for Bob McClure, who sent her to the top early and never looked back. The fractions were 27 2/5, 57 3/5, and 1:26, with the wire reached in 1:52 1/5.

Pocket-sitter Bellisima Hanover finished second with Proud Mary, who tried to launch a challenge first-up, third. Cheesy Smile and Windsun Tiara also qualified for the final.

Sylvia Hanover, by Always B Miki, has five wins and a second in six starts to date. She's earned over C$218,000 so far for owner Hudson Standardbred of Quebec. Shawn Steacy handles the training for the $135,000 yearling purchase, whose dam Shyaway competed in the 2010 She's A Great Lady, finishing second in her elimination and seventh in the final. Her first foal was C$2 million winner Western Fame.

McClure was effusive in his praise for the young filly. "She's a little green up front still; she's a big kid having fun, but for the racing part she dials right in. She kicked home in 26 1/5 on her own. She knows it's business from the half on, there's no end to her.

"There doesn't seem to be a way to get her tired. She's great-gaited, has a great attitude, just a lot of fun to sit behind. If you don't get excited about a horse like that, you're in the wrong game."

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The draw for the final was made following the second division, and the fillies will line up as follows next Saturday night.

1-Windsun Tiara
2-Front Page Story
3-Bellisima Hanover
4-Charleston
5-Sylvia Hanover
6-Proud Mary
7-Reggae Hanover
8-Treacherous Penny
9-Horizontal
10-Cheesy Smile
AE-Caviart Davia

A top pacing mare during the mid 1990's, She's A Great Lady earned just under a million dollars during her three year career which saw her win 26 of 52 life starts. She's been retired from breeding since her last foal in 2012 and is part of Diamond Creek's Golden Girls retirement group.

--press release (Woodbine Mohawk Park)--