A shift from the Gold Series to the Grassroots saw two-year-old trotting filly Jula Shes Magic cruise to her first-ever victory at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Tuesday evening (July 30).

“I think, deep down, she is a Gold filly,” said trainer Susanne Kerwood. “She’s just really green, that’s pretty much it. Obviously, she’s a very, very fast filly, we’ve just got to be able to maybe control her speed a little bit.”

Starting from post 10, Jula Shes Magic rocketed away from the starting gate to an eight-length lead by the quarter in :27.3. The filly, in rein to Mike Saftic, carried on to a :57.1 half, 12 lengths ahead of the field, and a 1:27.3 three-quarters, one-and-one-half lengths ahead of fast-moving challenger Canadian Titan. In the stretch Jula Shes Magic held off Canadian Titan’s advance and hit the wire one and three-quarter lengths the best in 1:57.4. Alpina was six lengths behind the leaders in third.

Kerwood conditions the daughter of Kadabra and $1.2 million winner Windsong Soprano for Jula Racing Inc., who offered up $100,000 for the filly at last fall’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale. Tuesday’s outing was the filly’s third; she finished seventh in the July 11 Gold Series season opener at Woodbine Mohawk Park and second in a two-year-old trotting filly conditioned event on July 23.

“Tommy Andersson trained her in Florida and he kept telling me ‘This is one of the nicest fillies I’ve ever sat behind’,” said Kerwood. “And she’s definitely right there, that’s for sure.

“She’s kind of a, she’s a pretty opinionated lady. She kind of wants it a little bit her way. I just think a couple starts, she’s not a dummy, she’s going to learn to be able to rate her [speed], but right now she just wants to go.”

So long as Jula Shes Magic bounces back well from Tuesday’s effort Kerwood expects she will return to the Gold Series for her fourth lifetime start. The Gold fillies will compete at Woodbine Mohawk Park on August 9 while the Grassroots lasses head to Hiawatha Horse Park on Aug. 10.

“I think she’s going to learn to control her speed and she’ll be fine. I am happy to have her in my barn, that’s for sure,” said Kerwood.

Driver Bob McClure of Rockwood won two of the $23,500 Grassroots divisions, kicking things off in Race 1 with Yen and wrapping them up eight races later with Fluff.

From post 7, McClure was able to settle Yen in second as Brinys A Flirt took the field to a :28.3 opening quarter. The pair continued to sit on the cones as the lead changed hands heading for the 1:00 half. By three-quarters in 1:30.3, the pair were hemmed in by the fillies rolling up the outer lane. In the stretch McClure angled Yen out four wide and the filly showed off an impressive turn off foot, reeling in the leaders to hit the finish in 1:59.2 and get her first win. Favourite Bra In The Wind finished one and one-quarter lengths back in second, just ahead of Scorched Romance.

“She is a nice-gaited, mature filly. She should get stronger and improve through the year,” said McClure of the E L Titan daughter trained by Julie Walker. “With Julie and Bert [Jean Bernard Renaud], you know they’ll take their time with her.”

Overseas Farms Ltd. bred and own Yen, who finished third in the July 14 Grassroots season opener at Georgian Downs.

In the last division McClure and Fluff were saddled with post 10 and landed in seventh heading for the :28.2 opening quarter. McClure continued to sit on the pylons as pacesetter Moana progressed to a :59.1 half and then tipped Fluff into the outer lane behind Warrawee Vulcan and Barnum heading for the 1:30 three-quarters. Coming off the final turn McClure showed Fluff a clear lane and the fan favourite powered past the leaders to a three and one-quarter length victory in 1:58.4. Aphrodite Duke squeaked through on the rail to be second and Kads Kiss closed late for third.

McClure crafted Fluff’s second-straight win for trainer Pat Hunt, breeder Glengate Farms and their partner Goldfinger Stables. The Royalty For Life daughter was also a winner in her first lifetime start with a 2:00 clocking in an overnight event at Georgian Downs on July 21.

“Fluff is a little silly, but she has a real good turn of foot,” said McClure of the youngster. “I think she’s a nice filly in the making.”

The other three Grassroots divisions went to GP Dreamin, Princesspartypants and Mag N Roses.

Campbellville resident Chris Christoforou piloted Cornaro Dasolo daughter GP Dreamin to a 1:59.4 score in her first lifetime start for his father, trainer Charalambos Christoforou, and owner Carolyn Polillo. Pier Ho Kado was four and one-quarter lengths back in second and St Helens rounded out the top three.

Favourite Princesspartypants and trainer-driver Roger Mayotte went straight to the front in the fourth division and never looked back, sailing home to a one-and-one-half lengths victory over Goddess De Vie in 1:59.4. Cute Accountant was nine lengths back in third. Mississauga resident Mayotte conditions the Muscle Mass filly for Just In Time Stable of Mississauga, R A W Equine Inc. of Burlington and Big Als Stables Inc. of Woodbridge, ON.

Also sent off as the fan’s top choice, Mag N Roses and driver Louis-Philippe Roy cruised to a four-and-one-quarter length victory in the fifth division. Craving You and Expelliarmus finished second and third. Roy engineered the Royalty For Life daughter’s first win for trainer Jean Francois Maguire and his partners Julie Malenfant and Richard Legris.

On Friday Woodbine Mohawk Park will host the three-year-old pacing colts for their third Gold Series leg, featuring Meadowlands Pace winner Best In Show, who will start from post 10 in the $158,000 contest. The pacing colts will square off in the seventh race on Friday’s card, which gets under way at 7:50 p.m.

A pair of preliminaries opened the Whenuwishuponastar series on the OSS undercard. Race-favourite Alexa Skye went wire to wire in the first division with a 1:53.1 mile. The Dr. Ian Moore-trained Somebeachsomewhere filly led through fractions of :27.4, :57.1 and 1:25.3 in progress to a two-and-a-half length victory over Martinique Beach, who overtook pocket-sitter Libspeak for second.

A homebred for Jeffrey Snyder, Alexa Skye won her second race from three starts, earning $18,750. She paid $3.10 to win.

Odds-on favourite Reflect With Me delivered in the other division with a 1:52.3 performance. The Captaintreacherous filly sat sixth by 11 lengths to a :27.3 opening quarter set by Kat. She continued to lead through a :57.3 half before facing far-turn pressure from Lady Lou popping pocket towards three-quarters, timed in 1:25.4. Driver Andrew McCarthy rolled Reflect With Me towards the leaders moving into the stretch and fired to the finish in :26.2 to win. Kat held second while Lady Lou took third.

Winning her first race from three starts, Reflect With Me races for breeder Brittany Farms and owner Brad Grant. The Tony Alagna trainee paid $2.40 to win.

(with files from the Ontario Sires Stakes)

To view Tuesday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Tuesday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.