The owners of three-year-old pacing filly Preppy Party Girl have not had much to celebrate this season, but driver Jody Jamieson is hoping that may change as the filly heads into Friday’s $130,000 Gold Final
off a strong start in last week’s elimination.
”I think she’s sitting on a big start,” says the Moffat, ON resident. “So I’m going to give her all the chance in the world on Friday night.”
The sale topper at the 2008 Forest City Yearling Sale, hammered down to Toronto resident John Fielding and his partner John Carver of Rapids City, IL for $127,000, Preppy Party Girl made just three starts as a two-year-old. After winning her career debut in a promising 1:54.2 at The Meadowlands, the daughter of Western Terror and Miraculous Muffy made breaks in her next two starts, so trainer Erv Miller opted to wrap up her freshman campaign.
This season Preppy Party Girl started off with a bang, winning three straight overnight events at The Meadowlands in the spring, the fastest a 1:51.3 clocking on June 3. The filly made a break in her fourth start, but returned to the winner’s circle in her first sophomore start on Ontario soil, circling Mohawk Racetrack in 1:52.1.
Racing from the Jeff Gillis stable the filly made her Ontario Sires Stakes debut at Georgian Downs on July 3, but made a break in her elimination and failed to qualify for the final. Another break the elimination round of the Canadian Breeders Championship triggered a return to the qualifying ranks, where Preppy Party Girl was reunited with Jamieson and turned in a flawless effort in 1:55. Jamieson then piloted the filly to a steady third place effort from Post 10 in an August 12 overnight at Mohawk, and Rick Zeron guided her to an error-free fourth-place finish in the Standardbred Breeders of Ontario Association Stake at the Campbellville oval on August 27.
Off that effort, Miller opted to take the filly home to his Springfield, IL farm for a mini-vacation, and Preppy Party Girl returned to action at Harrah’s Chester in Pennsylvania on Oct. 10, finishing second in a 1:52.1 mile. Back at Harrah’s Chester on Oct. 17 the erratic filly made a late break, but she was flawless in last week’s elimination round, delivering a fourth-place effort from the outside Post 10.
“She can get up in the rigging a little bit too much,” notes Jamieson. “If you keep her relaxed and in the right spot she can fly for a piece.
“Her best trip is probably out in live flow,” he adds. “Hopefully we can catch the right helmet there on Friday night.”
Jamieson knows that Preppy Party Girl’s erratic past performances lines will not place her among the favourites on Friday, but he does believe she has the raw ability to compete against division leaders Tiz To Dream (Post 8), Western Silk (Post 5) and Bay Girl (Post 10).
“I think, coming into Friday, I think all systems are go,” says the reinsman, who will send Preppy Party Girl after a share of the $130,000 Gold Final purse from Post 6. “Obviously Western Silk is in there, but I think she can go with Western Silk on her best day.”
If Preppy Party Girl can put together another solid effort, the filly could also squeak into the Nov. 13 Super Final at Woodbine Racetrack. The top 10 point earners from the five regular season Gold events will advance to the season finale, worth a lucrative $300,000.
Friday’s contest is the last opportunity for the three-year-old pacing fillies to pad their point totals and extend their Ontario Sires Stakes season. The talented youngsters square off in Race 6 on Woodbine Racetrack’s Friday evening program, which gets under way at 7:30 p.m.
(O.S.S.)
To view Friday’s entries, click here.