After a slow start to her three-year-old campaign, filly trotter Bella Dolce is sweet on winning again.

Bella Dolce, who won eight of 11 starts and $313,017 as a two-year-old, was winless in her first six races this season while battling a back muscle strain. Since the middle of July, she has won six consecutive races on the Ontario circuit for driver Paul MacDonell and trainer Kevin O'Reilly.

"It's a little concerning when you have a horse of that nature that doesn't start out quite as well as you expected," owner David McDuffee said. "But all's well now. They had a little problem getting her back to her old form. She's been pretty good since."

Bella Dolce's next start is Thursday, September 4 in a $134,926 division of the Simcoe Stakes at Mohawk Racetrack. Also in the field is Hambletonian Oaks winner Creamy Mimi.

"It will be an interesting race," McDuffee said. "I think it will tell us a lot. This will give us an indication of what we have to look forward to. She's had it pretty easy up there (in Ontario); she kind of lays over that group. But I think she'll hold her own against most anybody. She's a very meaningful filly to me because I had both her mother and father. That's kind of different and special."

McDuffee was among the owners of both Bella Dolce's mother, Pizza Dolce, and father, Kadabra. Pizza Dolce was the Dan Patch Award winner as best two-year-old filly trotter in 2002, the same season Kadabra was Trotter of the Year.

This will most likely be Bella Dolce's final season of racing. Lifetime, she has won 14 of 23 races and earned $645,592.

"I sold (Pizza Dolce), which I wish I hadn't done," McDuffee said. "Breeding isn't my number one interest in this business, but I think I'd like to breed this mare. That's probably what I'll do."

Bella Dolce was 1-1 in the morning line odds while Creamy Mimi, who is coming off a win in the New York Sire Stakes, was 6-5. Bella Dolce will start from post three, with Creamy Mimi in post four.

"She's doing good," Creamy Mimi's trainer-driver Trond Smedshammer said. "She was good at Yonkers; she hasn't missed any time since the Oaks."

Creamy Mimi has won six of 10 races and $648,761 this year. Her only off-the-board finishes came in the Delvin Miller elims and final; she started from post eight in both races.

"She's been good in every start," Smedshammer said. "Even those starts in the Delvin Miller; those lines don't look too good, but I wasn't unhappy with her. She had the outside and Brian took her back; she just had too much ground to make up."

To view Thursday's entries, click here.

(HRC)