While trainer Jeff Gillis certainly had Breeders Crown aspirations at the start of the season, rookies Newport Volo and Slimsplace likely wouldn't have been the horses he would have expected to be racing on Saturday night
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The Guelph, Ont.-based trainer sends out two-year-old trotting colt Newport Volo and freshman pacing filly Slimsplace. Newport Volo was nipped at the wire in his Breeders Crown elimination by race favourite Pilgrims Taj. On Tuesday at the Breeders Crown draw and press conference, driver Jody Jamieson summed up his thoughts on the race in four words. Great trip, bad draw.
"We were two feet from being able to pick our post position," Jamieson told Trot Insider. "He's a consistent horse, though and Jeff has a ton of confidence in him."
Gillis feels that Newport Volo will be competitive despite the outside post 10. His Yankee Glide - Bank Of Newport gelding, assessed morning line odds of 10-1, trained on Tuesday and will lightly jog for the rest of the week in preparation for Saturday's stakes event.
Homebred Slimsplace might need a bit more racing luck than her stablemate. Gillis took a shot with his lightly-raced filly in the eliminations and she qualified with a fourth-place finish to Higher And Higher. Slimsplace has the services of driver Randy Waples and leaves from Post 7 in the rich $628,178 final.
"It's a big class leap for her," said Gillis. "She went from maidens to the Breeders Crown. She'll need some luck on Saturday."
While on paper she doesn't appear to be a homebred, Gillis purchased Shes Beachy - the dam of Slimsplace - while in foal to Artsplace. Shes Beachy is a half-sister to millionaire Dream Away and is now in foal to Santanna Blue Chip.
Gillis also told Trot Insider that he owns the dams of more than just one filly in his race. Interestingly enough, Gillis purchased the well-bred Pro Bowl Best - the dam of Higher And Higher and a full-sister to Pro Bono Best - in 2008, and that mare is also in foal to Santanna Blue Chip.
For Saturday's entries, click here. To view the entries on TrackIT in past performance format, click here.