CAMPBELLVILLE- The finest sophomore trotting fillies on the continent were showcased at Mohawk on Friday evening in a pair of $30,000 Elegantimage Stakes eliminations. Hambletonian eligible Check Me Out and Maven scored victories in their respective eliminations.
Check Me Out, who has amassed 16 wins from 19 efforts in her career, sat comfortably in fourth as Northern Miss Hall made the front past the quarter in 27.3 seconds, before marching past the half in 56.2 seconds and 1:24.4.
Tetrick angled Check Me Out first-over past the half and was matching strides with the tempo setter past three-quarters.
Turning for home, Check Me Out overtook Northern Miss Hall and dashed away on her rivals under a comfortable, hand-drive from Tetrick to stop the timer in 1:54.3. Personal Style (David Miller) finished second with Lovely Vacation (Randy Waples) third.
Last season, Check Me Out was voted the Dan Patch Award winner for Two-Year-Old Trotting Filly of the Year. Her 1:53.2 career-best is a world record taken in last year’s Matron Stakes elimination.
“She’s kind of a push-button filly to drive,” Tetrick said following the win. “I can do anything I want with her. She can sit, she loves cover, and she doesn’t mind first-up. She’s just a pleasure to drive. She’s got a long year ahead of her, but tonight she handles herself just fine.”
Ray Schnittker trains and co-owns Check Me Out along with breeder Charles Iannazzo. The bay filly has banked $971,801 in her career.
In the first elimination, Maven used a ground-saving trip to score the 8-1 upset for driver Yannick Gingras.
Win Missy B (David Miller) took control of the lead past the opening panel in 27.1 seconds. Valdonna (Ron Pierce) was in the pocket with Maven sitting third.
Win Missy B led her rivals past the half in 55.2 seconds while the post time favourite, All Ready Hanover (Trevor Ritchie), made a miscue and took herself out of contention.
Gingras began his first-over journey past the half, but was able to duck into the pocket before three-quarters in 1:23.3 as Valdonna made a break in stride.
Turning for home, Win Missy B was still in command, but Maven got her cue once again from Gingras and the daughter of Glidemaster responded to take over command in deep stretch to score the victory in a career-best clocking of 1:53.1. Miss Paris (Rick Zeron) came from off-the-pace to finish second, with Win Missy B fading to third.
“It definitely helped when Ronnie (Ron Pierce) made a break,” Gingras said “My filly was a little grabby in the hole, so I had to move her when I did. It certainly didn’t hurt to duck back into the hole for a little longer.”
With elimination winners able to select their post positions for the $530,000 final next Saturday, Gingras will use it to his advantage.
“Somewhere in the middle would best suit her,” he said. “She’s a little tricky behind the gate, so I’ll talk to Jonas [Czernyson] about it, but I’m sure that’s what we’ll do.”
Maven, who now boasts a record of 2-0-0 from three starts this season, has career earnings of $207,483 for owner W Donovan. The bay was a seven-time winner from 11 starts last season for trainer Jonas Czernyson. Maven paid $19 to win.
The rich final will go to post on Saturday, June 16 with the following post positions assigned.
1) On The Bright Side
2) Win Missy B
3) Check Me Out
4) Maven
5) Lovely Vacation
6) Sand Violent Blu
7) Superstar Hanover
8) Valdonna
9) Miss Paris
10) Personal Style