Fifty Five Reborn, one of only two mares and two four-year-olds in the field of twelve in the 2130m Westside Auto Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night, relishes the role of pacemaking, and her ability to generate great early speed to hold the $2.40 favourite Thereugo at bay was the pivotal factor in her impressive victory at a 1.57.4 rate.
Lindsay Harper made a spirited bid to send Thereugo to the front from the No. 5 barrier, but he was thwarted by trainer Colin Brown who drove Fifty Five Reborn hard from barrier three to resist the strong early challenge.
After a scorching lead time of 35.4sec. Brown was able to get Fifty Five Reborn, the third favourite at $6.10, to relax and coast through the opening 400m section of the final mile in 32.3sec. before increasing the tempo with quarters of 29.5sec., 29sec. and 29.2sec.
Fifty Five Reborn resisted a last-lap challenge from $4.20 chance Heez Our Perseus and beat that pacer by just under a length. Rebel With A Grin ($9) was an unlucky third after trailing the pacemaker and being badly blocked for a clear run in the final stages.
Fifty Five Reborn, a mare by Renaissance Man, ended a losing sequence of eight. She has earned $133,545 from 11 wins (seven of them when leading) and four placings from 38 starts.
by Ken Casellas