It is a rarity when full siblings race together on the same card, but it does occur from time to time. When full siblings race together on the same card, yet each one performs on a different gait, that is something completely
different.
The occurrence is set to take place Thursday, April 27 at Woodbine Racetrack. Two pupils from the stable of Carmen Auciello -- Worth Remembering and Kenny B -- are scheduled to take to the track in back to back races. Each of the horses in question are by trotting sire Ken Warkentin and are out of the Worthy Bowl mare Kawartha An Worthy 6,1:55s ($156,084).
When contacted by Trot Insider, Auciello explained that while training Worth Remembering down in preparation for her two-year-old campaign last season he "gave her every opportunity on the trot."
The trainer said that Worth Remembering is "a high-strung filly" and that "we had got her down to 2:15, but she would lose her gait when we asked her to go faster."
The 30-year-old resident of Stouffville, Ont. told Trot Insider that the filly was turned out and did not end up racing her juvenile campaign. "We ended up turning her out for a good bit and then began to bring her back," he said. "She matured and has turned into a really big, strong, athletic filly."
Auciello got back to work with the homebred of Cedar Valley, Ont. residents Robert and Donna Burgess, and the lass built for trot just showed an affinity for pacing up a storm.
"I got her down to 2:30 on the trot," Auciello said, "but she was really showing that she wanted to pace."
The conditioner explained that he sat down with Robert to discuss what to do with the rebellious speedster. Not wanting to lose another season with Worth Remembering, Auciello said that he and the Burgesses decided to let the rebellious filly have her way.
"We decided to throw the hopples on her and see what happened," Auciello explained. "Within four weeks she was qualified and the rest is history."
After having qualified in 2:00.4 over Mohawk Racetrack on March 17, Worth Remembering debuted at Flamboro Downs on March 30. Sent off at odds of 52-1, the Anthony MacDonald-driven filly turned a three-hole trip into a quarter-length victory. Worth Remembering returned $107.70 on a successful $2 Win wager and topped a $2,500 triactor.
When asked by Trot Insider, Auciello said that he has had some fellow horsepeople take note of the unique filly, but he thought there would be a little more of a stir regarding the trotting-bred pacer. The fact that the filly is on the pace is not the only discussion point. Worth Remembering has been dropping time since moving over to compete on the Woodbine Entertainment Group circuit. The filly was sent off at odds of 121-1 last week at Woodbine and closed hard off soft fractions to finish second, three lengths back of the winner.
Worth Remembering will look to improve on that second-place finish Thursday at Woodbine during the $60,000 final of the Ontario Spring Filly Stakes. The brown lass will line up in Post 6 for the 10-horse dash (Race 5, 8:46 p.m.). Anthony MacDonald will again be up behind the determined filly, who Auciello has said should not have been assessed at 25-1 on the morning line.
"I think she is a lot better than 25-1 in there," he said. "I don't think she should be 25-1 (one of three entrants which have been gauged at that price)."
His younger sister is the one getting the press, but Kenny B will be looking to get the monkey off his back one race later on Thursday. The four-year-old gelding will be looking to break his maiden in what will be his 17th career start. If Kenny B is to get off the schneid Thursday, he will have to overcome Post 9 and similar 25-1 early odds.
In regard to Kenny B, Auciello told Trot Insider that he is a fast horse that likes to make breaks, and that he is a horse who "we haven't tried on the pace… yet."
To view entries for Thursday's card of harness racing at Woodbine Racetrack, click the following link: Thursday Entries - Woodbine Racetrack.