Thursday evening at Woodbine Racetrack, trainer Tan Micallef sends out two fillies in a pair of $20,000 Blizzard Stakes eliminations. Hat Trick Honey and Hustleonhome will
head to post in Races 1 and 3, respectively, for the resident of Moffat, Ont.
In the first elimination, Hat Trick Honey has been assigned Post 2 for driver Roger Mayotte. Despite just one victory from eight career starts, the daughter of Million Dollar Cam is coming into tomorrow night’s contest in solid form according to Micallef.
“She seems to be getting stronger and stronger,” he stated. “Roger has been driving her since day one and he gets along with her really well.”
Hat Trick Honey has earned $17,170, with a 1:53.4 speed record. She will be looking to find the winner’s circle for the second time tomorrow night.
Hustleonhome will begin the second elimination from Post 4 for driver Sylvan Filion. She is also a daughter of Million Dollar Cam, who has banked $49,590 in career earnings with one lifetime win to date.
Micallef is extremely pleased with the way his charge is coming into the race.
“She has been racing very well recently,” he commented. “She finished third in the Niagara Stakes final, but she was also racing well before that.
“She’s a big, strong mare who I think will get better with age. She wears a 58-inch hopple and is very sound, just like Hat Trick Honey.”
Both fillies are owned and bred by Stuart Bolender of Elora, Ont.
Woodbine's first race on Thursday is scheduled for 7:10 p.m.
To view the entries, click here.
WEG Pick-4 Ticket (Thursday, Jan. 6)
Woodbine Racetrack will present a $40,000 guaranteed pool for its early Pick-4 Thursday evening
. The Pick-4 will kick off as usual in Race 4.
Greg Gangle of the Woodbine Entertainment Group’s media department has handicapped the four races and has provided his following insight:
Race 4
#3. New Kid - Is coming into the New Year off back-to-back wins. He makes his debut on Canadian soil for trainer Kevin O’Reilly and shows that he has enough talent to win tonight’s contest. He scored the victory by multiple lengths at Balmoral, that won’t likely occur tonight should he be victorious.
#8. Chat Chat - Went a tough trip last week for trainer-driver Per
Henriksen beginning from Post 10. Mario Baillargeon gets the driving assignment tonight with a Post 8 start. This mare shows that her best stride comes near the front; therefore, it wouldn’t surprise me one bit to see her on the front or close to it in the early going.
#9. Iron Lady - I think you have to have her in your Pick-4 ticket. She couldn’t be coming into tonight’s race any better after her 1:57.3 victory in this class last week. Luc Ouellette gets the driving assignment again tonight and I can imagine him leaving well from Post 9.
Race 5
#2. Indy Z Tam - Went a tough trip last week from Post 10 to finish a strong second. He moves up in class tonight but he is also blessed with
a Post 2 start. Waples gets the driving assignment again tonight and I’m sure he will use Post 2 to his advantage. He’s a good bet at his 6-1 morning line.
#4. Siddall - What can you say about his 1:51.3 score last week? He was simply unbelievable and has now moved into the Bill Davis barn. He moves up in class but posted a victory at this level just three starts ago. He will likely be the post time favourite for driver Mark MacDonald.
#7. Deftones - Is dropping down in class where he shows he most competitive. With 14 wins last year, he knows how to find the winner's circle and trainer Charlie Stewart has a reputation of classifying his horses where they can win. He is great value at his 9-2 morning line odds.
Race 6
#7. Betterluvnexttime - Remains unbeaten in her young career and now enters the Rob Harmon stable. Her 1:56.4 qualifying effort is the only reason why she is the 8-5 morning line favourite, from what I can see. I think this is a weak field of horses and she should have enough talent and class to handle her nine rivals. She also gets the services of Mark MacDonald, which never hurts. I would expect her to be placed on the front or close to it in the early going, MacDonald won’t want to get into traffic trouble.
Race 7
#2. Crystal Sizzler - Gets the addition of trotting hopples tonight for trainer Tony Montini. He returns to the $15,000 claiming ranks where he showed he’s most competitive in. I would expect driver Keith Oliver to leave well with a Post 2 start and be well positioned in the early going.
#4. Rose Run Kurt - After racing in a $35,000 claiming event last week, driver-trainer Rick Zeron jams his pupil into a $15,000 claimer tonight. He won three starts ago in 1:56.1, so he has enough speed to win tonight’s contest. It looks like Zeron is either trying to steal this race or get his horse claimed.
#7. Queenofthehall - WEG’s leading dash winner in 2010, Richard Moreau is beginning the New Year on the right track with four winners from seven tries coming into tonight. This mare has never missed the board since entering Moreau’s barn four starts ago. She went a tough trip last week at Georgian Downs from Post 8, but also won there three starts ago. It will be interesting how Sylvain Filion engineers her trip; she can leave and come off-the-pace.
Ticket Summary:
Race 4 - 3, 8, 9
Race 5 - 2, 4, 7
Race 6 - 7
Race 8 - 2, 4, 7
Total - $27 for $1, or $5.40 for $.20
(WEG)