Last Friday night at Woodbine Racetrack, five-year-old Astreos mare Voelz Hanover recorded her first pari-mutuel victory since November 15, 2008. Looking for a repeat performance from the former OSS Super Final winner, trainer Ben Baillargeon has entered the mare for
Woodbine's Friday, February 12 card.
Voelz Hanover's story is a well-publicized one at this point. "After winning her (Ontario Sires Stakes) Super Final [in 2008], she went on to race in the Breeders Crown at the Meadowlands where she cracked a pastern in behind," Baillargeon told Trot Insider last November.
"We decided to breed her to Mach Three, but she didn't catch."
At some point early in 2009, the decision was made to have Voelz Hanover return to the races where she had banked over $660,000 and recorded 13 victories from 30 career starts.
After training back down and then qualifying twice early this year, Voelz Hanover returned to the races in a pari-mutuel fashion on January 22 at Woodbine where she failed to earn a cheque. Then, on January 29 at Woodbine, the mare recorded a second-place effort after finishing just one length back of the eventual winner, Yankeelicious.
As many people seem to believe, the third time must have been the charm.
Saddled with her regular pilot, Mario Baillargeon, Voelz Hanover made her third pari-mutuel start a winning one last Friday night. After leaving from Post 3, the mare worked out a two-hole ride and then fired home in the lane for a two and a half-length victory in 1:53.1.
"Yeah, she's coming along really nice," Ben said this past Monday evening on Race Night on The Score. "She got a real good trip on Friday. I asked Mario not to drive her too tough and we got what we call a perfect trip. She shot out of the hole pretty good -- like she's got 10 starts under her belt. For a mare that didn't race for 17 months -- 16 months -- I was pretty pleased with her."
When asked what was next for the flashy mare, Ben said that the mare would probably have to compete in the Fillies and Mares Preferred -- and to that he simply said, "that's fine."
Woodbine's Friday, February 12 program of racing has shown that there will not be a Fillies and Mares Preferred this week.
Voelz Hanover has drawn the dreaded Post 10 for Race 5 (a $28,000 conditioned event) on Woodbine's Friday card. Mario Baillargeon and Voelz Hanover have been assessed as the 7-1 fourth choice in the morning line odds.
Woodbine's Friday program of live racing holds a first-race post time of 7:30 p.m., while Race 5 is expected to be called to post at 8:30 p.m.
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