After a slow start to the year, Stonebridge Soul shows signs of rounding into top form as she prepares for Saturday’s (August 29) $290,000 Roses Are Red Stakes for older female pacers at Woodbine Mohawk Park in Ontario.

The four-year-old mare has hit the board in three consecutive starts. She finished second in last weekend’s preferred for fillies and mares at Mohawk on the heels of a second in the Artiscape and third in the Lady Liberty.

Stonebridge Soul will start the Roses Are Red from Post 8. The nine-horse field also includes Dorothy Haughton Memorial winner and Lady Liberty runner-up Major Occasion A and Dan Patch Award winners Warrawee Ubeaut and Kissin In The Sand.

The Roses Are Red is part of a Mohawk card that also includes the $1 million North America Cup, $400,000 Fan Hanover, and $220,000 Armbro Flight.

Last year, Stonebridge Soul’s wins included the James M. Lynch Memorial and Mistletoe Shalee. In March, she was turned out for two months while racing was shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic. She made her 2020 debut for trainer Chris Ryder in July. She is in the care of trainer Chantal Mitchell while in Canada.

“We staked her pretty much to all the big races not really knowing what we’d have because she’s a four-year-old (competing against older horses),” said Craig Henderson of Henderson Farms, which shares ownership of Stonebridge Soul with Bob Mondillo.

“She’s hit her stride better than we ever imagined. Chris is so pleasantly surprised with how she’s racing. She’s well rested and just getting into top form. She’s training great. We sent her up to Chantal and she does a great job for Chris. We’re very excited. Fingers crossed. She’ll be there, I think.”

Stonebridge Soul, pictured victorious in the 2019 Mistletoe Shalee at the Meadowlands Racetrack.

Stonebridge Soul is winless after six races this season, but started her year with the post position blues, as she drew Post 7 twice at Yonkers and Post 6 at Harrah’s Philadelphia. She again drew an unfavourable spot in the Roses Are Red, but Henderson is hoping she can overcome it with her gate speed and finishing kick.

“She loves to finish,” Henderson said. “She finishes strong and never gives up. If she has a clear path from the top of the stretch, she’ll close as well as anybody.

“She’s a great mare and I’m thrilled to have her. We couldn’t be happier.”

For her career, Stonebridge Soul has won eight of 34 races and $674,206.

Henderson has owned racehorses for 12 years. He was one of the owners of 2010 Dan Patch Award winner Put On A Show as well as stakes winner Thats The Ticket. His pacer Bushwacker was retired recently after earning $743,808.

His Henderson Farms ownership group is himself and several friends.

“I really was trying to get people more interested in harness racing because I really enjoy it,” Henderson said. “They’re having fun.”

(USTA)