Trainer John Bax has provided an update on O’Brien Award winner Riveting Rosie, the Muscle Mass filly that finished up her juvenile campaign last year with wins in the $374,000 Peaceful Way Stakes and her $200,000 division of the Ontario Sires Stakes Super Finals.
“[Riveting Rosie is] right where I want her to be,” Bax has told the Woodbine Entertainment Group’s media relations department. “I trained her in 2:06 in Florida before we shipped her home. I’ll likely qualify her a few times and get her ready for the SBOA (Standardbred Breeders of Ontario Association). That will be her first stake of the year.”
Bax remains hopeful that one of Riveting Rosie’s stablemates, Flexible Woman, can compete against her at the highest level in the provincial program this season.
After a commanding five and half-length victory in her latest outing, Flexible Woman, a daughter of Federal Flex, certainly appears to be on her game heading into Thursday’s opening round of the Celias Counsel Series at Woodbine Racetrack.
The Bax trainee didn’t disappoint her backers last start, as Flexible Woman trotted a 1:59.3 mile over a ‘sloppy’ track for driver Steve Byron.
“She’s come back really well this season,” Bax said. “That’s the type of effort you want to see from a filly early in the season. Her first start was impressive also despite finishing second.”
The homebred daughter of Federal Flex didn’t go though the auction ring as a yearling, as Bax bought into the lass from breeder Jim Bullock’s Glengate Farm.
Last season, the bay earned $29,736 from 10 starts, but the veteran conditioner wasn’t satisfied with her campaign.
“I was pretty high on her as a baby, but there was something bothering her last year,” he said. “She would fall apart at the end of a mile. Either something was pinching her or she needed to mature. We couldn’t put a finger on it so we gave her time.”
Bax along with a team of six wintered in Florida, while his son, Matt, prepared Flexible Woman for her three-year-old season at their Peterborough, Ont. farm.
“Matt trained her back this winter and did a fine job and the filly did it the right way,” said the veteran conditioner. “So far it’s ‘all systems go’ and we’ll play it week by week with her. That’s a nice series that she fits into (the Celias Counsel) and that should get her well prepared for the summer.”
Bax told WEG that it wouldn’t surprise him if Flexible Woman turned out to be a Gold filly. “I’m optimistic about that,” Bax said. “She’s got that attitude and fight in her. It’s a fine line between ignorance and the will and fight to win. She’s on the right side of the line.”
Two divisions of the Celias Counsel Series will take place on Thursday evening in Races 2 and 3. First-race post time is set for 7:25 p.m.
To view the harness racing entries for Thursday at Woodbine, click the following link: Thursday Entries – Woodbine Racetrack.
(With files from WEG)