Starlight Dancer and catch-driver Travis Cullen pulled off a 12-1 upset as they spoiled the chances of a series sweep for a pair of rivals in the $48,100 final of the Harvest Series for Ontario-sired three-year-old pacing fillies on Friday night, Nov. 24 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Starlight Dancer left from post three to secure the early lead through a :28 opening quarter before Honey Love then 8-5 favourite Godiva Shadow Girl — both perfect through the preliminary legs of the series and drawing outside posts for the final — traded turns on the lead.
James MacDonald, who stuck with Godiva Shadow Girl for the series finale, guided the favourite to the top through a :56.4 half over Honey Love, with Bob McClure catch-driving, but Cullen launched Starlight Dancer first-up to confront the leader as they raced to three-quarters in 1:25.2.
Starlight Dancer drew clear into the stretch and held off Premier Delight, closing off her cover for Jody Jamieson, to win by a half-length in 1:54.2. Honey Love got up for third leaving a wall of five horses to fight it out for the minor spoils in a blanket finish.
Top five in the opening leg of the series and a runner-up in round two, Starlight Dancer was sent postward at odds of 12-1 and returned $26.80 for the upset win.
“At times she’s pretty keen and they told me to give her a good shot, get her up close,” said Cullen in a post-race interview. “I took a shot as hard as I could around the last turn because they said the last 100 yards she gets a little weak, but she fought right to the wire today.”
Cullen added that the filly looks to have a bright future ahead.
“She’s very high speed, but she’s just really hot — I think she needs to mature a little bit.”
Cullen catch-drove the Artspeak-Thorne Seelster filly for trainer Melissa Lamoureux and owner/breeder 1187422 Ontario Inc. of Ottawa, Ont. — the same connections that upset the Harvest Series final for two-year-old pacing fillies on Nov. 6 with Tamara Hanover.
Starlight Dancer matched her lifetime mark taken in her career debut in June 2022. The filly, who counts an Ontario Sires Stakes Gold division among her two wins as a freshman, improved her lifetime record to 4-5-4 from 24 starts and boosted her bankroll to nearly $150,000.
The series was for non-winners of $30,000 in 2023 as of Sept. 30.
Stepping up in class to the $32,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred 2 Pace, Stonebridge Farm’s Annabelle Hanover defeated favourite Dabarndawgswatchin to remain perfect in two Canadian starts since joining the Gregg McNair stable this month.
Picking up the catch-drive, Sylvain Filion left with 3-1 second choice Annabelle Hanover from post six before getting shuffled to third as Tells On A Roll rolled on by at the :27.2 quarter pole for Travis Cullen with the parked out Dabarndawgswatchin and Louis-Philippe Roy hot on their heels.
The 4-5 bettors’ choice cleared to command down the straightaway and hit the half in :56 then raced to three-quarters in 1:23.3.
As Dabarndawgswatchin started to open up three lengths on top turning for home, Filion tipped Annabelle Hanover out in pursuit and they swept by down the stretch with :27.1 final-quarter speed to win by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:51.2. Goudawon closed for third in rein to Trevor Henry.
Annabelle Hanover has now earned seven wins from 29 starts this year. A 25-time career winner, the six-year-old Somebeachsomewhere-Always On A Roll mare has banked $576,593 lifetime in purses.
She returned $8.50 to win.
(Standardbred Canada)
