A pair of locally-owned fillies will roll in behind the Rideau Carleton Raceway starting gate on Thursday, Aug. 15 when the two-year-old trotting lasses bring their Gold Series battle to the nation’s capital.

Diamonds For Life makes her Gold Series debut in the second $52,500 division, making the leap up to the top tier after scoring two wins and one second in Grassroots action. Frank Spagnolo and Frank Schimizzi of Ottawa share ownership of the Angus Hall filly, who currently sits fourth in the Grassroots standings.

Diamonds For Life will test her skills against the Gold Series fillies from Post 3, with Sylvain Filion subbing for regular reinsman Trevor Ritchie. Lansdowne resident Mark Steacy conditions Diamonds For Life, who was a $10,000 acquisition out of last fall’s Canadian Yearling Sale [selling as Jayport Firstclass] and has earned $22,500 in her four starts to date. Among the fillies Diamonds For Life will face in Race 4 is Danica Hall, currently ranked third in the Gold Series point standings, from Post 2.

Toughs Legacy makes her third Gold Series start from Post 7 in the last division for Ottawa resident Mel Hartman and his partners Herb Liverman of Miami Beach, FL and David McDuffee of Delray Beach, FL. In her first provincial outing the Kadabra daughter finished second and she scored a third-place result in the Aug. 5 Mid-Summer Challenge Consolation at Mohawk Racetrack.

The Richard ‘Nifty’ Norman trainee and driver Jack Moiseyev will face a tough field in Race 8, including fourth-ranked Striking Serenade from Post 3 and division leader Marcella Hall at Post 4. Joining the Gold Series heavyweights is the number one filly from the Grassroots ranks, Chelseas Chance, who will start at Post 6.

The two-year-old trotting fillies will wage their Gold Series battles in Races 1, 4, 6, and 8 on Thursday evening, with the first $52,500 division rolling in behind the Rideau Carleton Raceway starting gate at 6:30 p.m.

(OSS)

To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Thursday Entries – Rideau Carleton Raceway.