Brilliant pacer Black Jack Baby warmed up for next Friday night’s $100,000 Westbred Classic for three-year-old fillies in grand style with an effortless victory in the $25,000 Westsired Pace for three-year-old fillies at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“It was a perfect lead-up for next Friday,” said star reinsman Chris Voak. “She should be cherry ripe. I didn’t release the plugs and she had plenty left.”
Breeder-owner-trainer Shane Quadrio agreed, saying: “Her trial win at Byford last Sunday and this run tonight should have topped her up nicely for next week. She has a lot of strings to her bow and has always got a chance with the weapons she’s got.”
Black Jack Baby was perfectly drawn at barrier one and was a hot $1.10 favourite in a field of six. Voak gave the filly an easy time in front in the early stages with a dawdling lead time of 39.9sec. followed by ambling opening quarters of 31.1sec. and 31sec. He then allowed Black Jack Baby to stretch out in the final circuit when she dashed over the final sections in 28.1sec. and 27.3sec.
She rated 1.58.9 and finished more than a length ahead of $5.50 second fancy Our Star Billing, with Cluster Star ($41) a further six lengths astern in third place.
Black Jack Baby, who was having her first start for nine weeks, has raced 22 times for 12 wins, four placings and stakes of $169,485.
Black Jack Baby’s win completed a double for Voak, who had won earlier in the night with the Ross Olivieri-trained Born To Boogie in the 2130m Retravision Pace.
The New Zealand-bred Born To Boogie was the $1.20 favourite from the prized No. 1 barrier, and though she did not pace as fluently as she had in winning very easily at her first two starts in Western Australia, she was not extended in setting the pace and scoring by a half-length from $10 chance Triroyale Brigade, rating 1.56.7 after covering the final 800m in 56.6sec.
by Ken Casellas