Ontario’s three-year-old trotting fillies swing into the second half of their Grassroots season on Wednesday afternoon at Flamboro Downs, and trainer Herb Holland is hoping that Winning Agenda can emerge as a post season contender through the remaining events

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"She’s a big growthy filly," explains the Milton resident, likening the filly to an awkward teenager. "I thought she’d be better in the latter half of this season."

Winning Agenda heads into Wednesday’s test off her first sophomore victory, a 2:02.4 effort in the slop at Flamboro on August 22. Prior to that the Mutineer daughter had logged just one other top three finish in 11 starts. In her first two Grassroots outings the filly finished sixth at Hiawatha Horse Park on July 2 and fifth at Woodstock Raceway on August 8, giving her a total of five points in the race for a post season berth.

"She’s actually a much better filly than her recent form shows," says Holland, who conditions Winning Agenda for Carolyn MacIsaac of Milton and Stephen Chartrand of Hampton. "She’s had an issue with her muscle count, she ties up, but I think we’ve got that under control."

The long legged youngster, Holland puts her at 16.1 hands and 1,100 pounds, will benefit from Post 2 in Wednesday’s fourth $24,000 Grassroots contest. Roger Mayotte will steer Winning Agenda, who will face off against a field of Grassroots veterans including recent winners Daylon Mystique and Magical Debut from Posts 3 and 8.

Holland says Winning Agenda is easy to handle on the racetrack and a pleasure to work with in the barn, two attributes that have made it easy for the conditioner to exercise patience while the filly grows into her large frame.

"Her size doesn’t serve her very well right now," admits the trainer. "At some point in her life it will, but right now she struggles with it.

"She has a great disposition, a great attitude, that’s why I’ve kept her around," he adds. "I think she’ll serve well at some point. I think she’ll jump up to be a much better filly than her current form."

An $8,000 acquisition at the 2007 Forest City Yearling Sale, Winning Agenda recovered her purchase price as a two-year-old, banking $14,800 in a season that saw her qualify for the Grassroots Semifinal. She has added $9,630 to that total this season, and Holland would love to see her jump into the race for a post season berth through the last three Grassroots events.

The current cut off for one of the 16 invitations to the October 25 Semifinal is 58 points. Division leader Paidmedorayme boasts 108 points through two wins and one second in the first half of the season. Paidmedorayme will be looking to pad her lead atop the standings from Post 5 in the ninth race, where she will face a challenge from eighth-ranked Lunar Stream (Post 7) and recent Gold finalist Lindy Of My Dreams (Post 4).

Flamboro Downs will roll out the red carpet for eight $24,000 Grassroots divisions on Wednesday. The first race of the matinee program will be called to the post at 1 p.m., and the three-year-old trotting fillies will show off their skills in Races 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10 and 11.

To view Wednesday's harness racing entries, click here.

(OSS)