Woodbine Mohawk Park: Fillies clash in SBOA Stakes elims

Ontario-sired 3-year-old fillies were the headliners on Friday at Woodbine Mohawk Park. A quartet of SBOA Stakes eliminations, two for pacing fillies and two for trotting fillies, were contested on a wet evening at the Campbellville oval.

Pass Line ($2.90) kicked off her season with a strong 1:51 1/5 victory in the first C$25,000 Filly Pace elimination.

Lots of early speed and action up front allowed James MacDonald to move Pass Line out from fifth at the half before riding up into a second-over spot and powering home to win by three-quarters of a length. Lightning Lizzie moved to the lead in the second quarter, faced pressured to three-quarters and battled gamely to finish second. Betterwithglasses was third, while Ann was fourth. Bettor Sisters was fifth to advance to next week's final.

A daughter of All Bets Off, Pass Line turned heads throughout her rookie campaign, winning 10 of 13 and earning over C$680,000. Trained in Canada by Dave Menary for conditioner Ron Burke, Pass Line won multiple Grand Circuit events last season and finished second in the Breeders Crown. Pass Line is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Frank Baldachino and Rich Lombardo Racing.

Sorcha Seelster ($26.80) turned in a gritty 1:51 1/5 upset victory in the second Filly Pace elimination, edging strong closers Its A Love Thing and Coco Jo Jo.

Driver Bob McClure angled out Sorcha Seelster from fifth at the half and the pair advanced up just one spot while uncovered on the turn. In the stretch, Sorcha Seelster motored down the center of the track to win by a length. Race favorite Its A Love Thing was a third-over seventh turning for home, pacing a strong final quarter with Coco Jo Jo to just miss. Odds On Platinum and Blazing Belle completed the top five.

The lightly-raced Sorcha Seelster entered Friday with one win from four career starts. The John Pentland-trained daughter of All Bets Off made just two starts last season and has never missed the top three. She is owned by R C Molyneux Racing, Pentland, Peter Charlton and Archie Leach.

The SBOA Filly Pace final goes next Saturday (May 11) for a purse of C$141,500.

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O'Brien Award winner Willys Home Run ($2.60) unleashed a wicked 26 3/5 final quarter while rallying impressively from sixth to take the first C$25,000 Filly Trot elimination. James MacDonald steered the Kyle Fellows trainee to the season debut victory, stopping the clock in 1:56 1/5 and winning by three lengths.

Radical Legacy edged Sue Anne for second. Bille Jean Queen, who led the field into the stretch, was fourth, while P L Rainbow Dash was fifth to land a spot in next week's final.

A daughter of Archangel, Willys Home Run won six of 10 starts and earned over C$520,000 in a superb 2-year-old season. She capped off the campaign by winning the OSS Super Final. Willys Home Run is owned by Dr. Sara Gatchell, Jake and Reg Higgs and Yolanda Fellows.

With the public's top two choices making breaks, R Liza ($19.20) capitalized to take the second Filly Trot elimination in 1:55 4/5. Jody Jamieson sat third with the Susie Kerwood trainee until near the three-quarter pole before moving out and powering home in 27 2/5 to win by 2 3/4 lengths.

Race favorite Valuable Miss made a break just after the start, while second choice Lexus Angel jumped it off coming out of the first turn. Love Those Legs, who did the road work, would cross the wire second. No Need For Alarm, Evolving and Flirty Dancer rounded out the top five finishers.

An OSS Gold winner at two, R Liza was making her season debut on Friday after a four-for-eight, C$110,000 rookie campaign. The daughter of Muscle Mass is owned by M And L of Delaware LLC. and Alabama Harness Associates.

The SBOA Filly Trot final will go for a purse of C$137,500.

The SBOA Stakes eliminations continue Saturday night with two splits in the Colt Pace division. The SBOA Colt Trot did not require eliminations. Saturday's card also features the finals of the Canadian Graduate Series. Post time is 7:15 p.m.

--press release (Woodbine Mohawk Park)--