Harness racing action returns to Woodbine Racetrack this Thursday evening, and fans will be treated to plenty of firepower during the first weekend of the fall/winter meet thanks to the elimination round for this year’s Fall Four stakes.

Friday evening’s program is dedicated to the fillies, with trotters doing battle in a set of Goldsmith Maid eliminations and pacers sparring in a pair of Three Diamonds eliminations.

On Saturday night the boys will be in the spotlight as the Rexdale, Ontario oval will feature four elimination races. Pacers will go at it in a pair of Governor’s Cup eliminations while the trotters will butt heads in a set of Valley Victory eliminations.

Here’s a preview of this weekend’s elimination races:

Friday – Race 1 – $25,000 Three Diamonds Elimination

The undefeated JK Shesalady totes an 8-for-8 record into the first elimination for the tandem of driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Nancy Johansson. The daughter of Art Major-Presidential Lady has drawn Post 3 in her quest to add to her $444,850 bankroll. Since setting a world record in the final of the Shes A Great Lady Stake the precocious youngster has added wins in the Kentuckiana Stake at Hoosier Park and more recently a division of the International Stallion Stake at The Red Mile.

Among the other headliners in the first elimination are five-time winner Happy Becky (Post 1) and two-time winner Shakai Hanover (Post 2).

Friday – Race 6 – $25,000 Three Diamonds Elimination

Band Of Angels will be shooting for a bounce back performance for trainer Ron Burke, who watched the daughter of Rocknroll Heaven-Time N Again kick off her career with six straight wins. The filly has since missed the board in back-to-back starts, but she qualified in good order at Harrah’s Philadelphia on October 7. Yannick Gingras will be paired up with the filly from Post 4.

The Show Returns (Post 1) enters the assignment with a 3-for-8 record for Chris Ryder, while Ideal Nuggets (Post 2) has only missed the board once in her first 10 tries for trainer Ed Lohmeyer.

Friday – Race 2 – $25,000 Goldsmith Maid Elimination

Jolene Jolene destroyed the foes she faced when she established a career-best clocking of 1:52.1 in her division of the Bluegrass Stakes at The Red Mile on September 25 for trainer Jonas Czernyson. The daughter of Muscle Hill-Celebrity Speedie improved her rookie record to 4-2-1 from eight tries with the win while her bankroll climbed to $212,507. Sylvain Filion will catch-drive the talented youngster.

Flirting Filly (Post 2) will be on the lookout for an effort similar to the one she turned in when winning her division of the International Stallion Stakes at The Red Mile earlier this month for trainer Jimmy Takter, while trainer John Bax will be hoping for a bounce back performance from Juanitas Fury (Post 4) following her off-the-board effort in last weekend’s OSS Super Final.

Friday – Race 3 – $25,000 Goldsmith Maid Elimination

Mission Brief enters her Friday evening assignment following her awesome performance at the International Stallion Stakes at The Red Mile earlier this month. The scary-fast daughter of Muscle Hill-Southwind Serena annihilated the world record for two-year-old trotting fillies when she roared to a 16-length triumph in 1:50.3 in her latest assignment for the duo of driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Ron Burke. The six-time winner enters the weekend with a cash stash of $314,900.

She’ll take on last weekend’s OSS Super Final winner, Danielle Hall (Post 3), and this summer’s Peaceful Way Stakes champion, Stubborn Belle (Post 2).

Saturday – Race 2 – $25,000 Valley Victory Elimination

Billy Flynn, who lost for the first time in his career when he was second in his division of the International Stallion Stakes in Lexington on October 3, will shoot for his ninth win of the year for trainer Staffan Lind. The multiple NYSS-winning son of Cantab Hall-Zeta Jones will depart from Post 7 as he tries to add to his already-impressive bankroll of $331,337.

He’ll take on a talented, Jimmy Takter-trained trio which consists of Uncle Lasse (Post 3), Pinkman (Post 4) and The Bank (Post 5).

Saturday – Race 3 – $25,000 Valley Victory Elimination

Habitat, the winner of this year’s William Wellwood Memorial Trot, totes a two-race winning streak into his elimination assignment for trainer Ron Burke and driver Yannick Gingras. The five-time winner has only been worse than second on one occasion during his eight-race career. He’s schedule to depart from Post 8 on Saturday evening.

He’ll take on a trio of $100,000-winning foes in Walter White (Post 2), Jetpedia (Post 4) and Southwind Stryker (Post 6).

Saturday – Race 6 – $25,000 Governor’s Cup Elimination

The first elimination is as wide-open as it gets thanks to the likes of Lyons Levi Lewis, the runner-up in the Metro Pace, and Lost For Words, a suddenly-streaking son of Well Said, being in the field.

Lyons Levi Lewis, who starts from Post 1 for driver Sylvain Filion and trainer Ron Burke, last raced in a division of Champlain Stakes at Mohawk Racetrack on September 6. He won that assignment in a career-best 1:52.1, and he has since come back to win a pair of qualifiers at The Meadows. The son of Well Said has banked close to $270,000 this season.

Lost For Words has won four of his last five outings including three straight wins for trainer Brian Brown. The colt, who is scheduled to start from Post 6 for driver Ron Pierce, blew away the foes he faced in his division of the International Stallion Stakes at The Red Mile on October 4.

Saturday – Race 8 – $25,000 Governor’s Cup Elimination

All eyes will be on Artspeak in the second elimination as the previously-undefeated son of Western Ideal-The Art Museum will try to right the ship after breaking and settling for a third-place finish in his latest outing in a division of the International Stallion Stakes. Tony Alagna trains and Scott Zeron is scheduled to drive the seven-time winner. In order to get back on track the colt will have to overcome Post 9. He’s stashed away earnings in excess of $520,000.

With regards to the finals of the Fall Four events, the Governor’s Cup will go for $565,000, the Valley Victory will be contested for $521,000, the Goldsmith Maid goes for $464,000 and the Three Diamonds will be raced for $424,000.

The finals will be contested at Woodbine Racetrack part of the October 25 card of racing.

To view entries for Friday's card of harness racing, click one of the following links:

Friday Entries – Woodbine Racetrack -- Friday Program Pages - Woodbine Racetrack

To view entries for Saturday's card of harness racing, click one of the following links:

Saturday Entries – Woodbine Racetrack -- Saturday Program Pages - Woodbine Racetrack

(Clockwise from top left: Artspeak, Habitat, Mission Brief, JK Shesalady. Photos courtesy New Image Media, Nigel Soult Photo)