Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Trio of Eternal Camnation Stakes Contested

August 18, 2007

A late charge on the outside paid off for the 9-5 favorite, Thong, in the first of three C$122,367 divisions of the Eternal Camnation Stakes for 2-year-old pacing fillies on Saturday night at Mohawk.

Tim Tetrick enjoyed a pocket trip behind Mark Austin trainee, Arts Michelle, and had to thread Thong through heavy traffic late in the stretch, to come four-wide at the wire, fending off the late-charging Cartniverous and Lilbitfasternow, who finished second and third, respectively, as well as a tiring Arts Michelle, in 1:53.4.

“Down the lane the horse I was following I thought would take me all the way, and that didn’t work out (so) I had to squeeze out at the top of the lane and keep pushing out and pushing out till I finally found enough room to go easing on by them.” Tetrick said. “She had a lot of pace when I got her out. She surged right by them, and if she’d had more racetrack early I’m sure she’d (have won by) more, but it was a good effort for her today.”

This was the second win in four lifetime tries for Thong, a daughter of Western Hanover owned and trained by Alton Lynch, Jr. and Jason Lynch of Delmar, Del.

It was a short field for the second of the three divisions of the Eternal Camnation, thanks to three late scratches. The absence of Darren McCall trainee Knock Three Times made Good News Lady, from the barn of Jimmy Takter, the prohibitive 1-5 favorite, and she did not disappoint, making an impressive late-stretch run from far on the outside to catch the second favorites, All Accounted For and driver John Campbell, at the wire.

Good News Lady’s winning time of 1:55, under the direction of driver Jody Jamieson, came despite a glacial first quarter of :29.3, set by early leaders Lightning Glory and Luc Ouellette. The daughter of Western Ideal and Whats New, owned by Brittany Farms, Val d’Or Farms and Christina Takter, has now racked up two wins in just three career starts.

“Leaving the gate I knew we weren’t going anywhere in front of the grandstand here,” Jamieson said. “She got to the front at the Meadowlands one start and she was just green, so (the owners) didn’t want her on the front, they wanted her racing off the pace a little bit.

"We’re trying to teach her how to race, and we did a lot of education there the first three-quarters of a mile before I could let her pace. But she showed her class and her footwork. She can go. “I’d like to be able to let her loose one day,” Jamieson added. “She’s such a nice filly. (She) looks like the best heading into the She’s A Great Lady next week.”

It was another victory for the favorite in the final of the three divisions of the Eternal Camnation, as Erv Miller trainee Victim of Love, sent off as the 4-5 first choice, pulled off a gritty, nose-sized victory over Worldly Treasure, trained by Jeffrey Stafford, and Red in the Face, trained by John Pentland.

Red in the Face, driven by Randy Waples, had veered across the track trying to find racing room late in the stretch, and was later ruled to have interfered with Jamieson’s drive, Jacks Place, causing the filly’s demotion from third to sixth. Fourth placed Enniscrone was awarded the show position.

Victim of Love, from the first crop of No Pan Intended, now a perfect four-for-four record and recorded the win in 1:54.2, shaving one and two-fifths seconds off her previous lifetime mark. The filly is owned by Perfect World Enterprises of Old Westbury, N.Y.