After trotting to a near-flawless juvenile campaign in 2009, O'Brien Award winner Poof Shes Gone has been drawn in to contest the first of two $40,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold eliminations Monday, May 17 at Woodbine Racetrack
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Trained by Richard 'Nifty' Norman and driven by David Miller, Poof Shes Gone will kick off her three-year-old season in Race 3 (8:02 p.m.). The Kadabra filly will start from Post 3 in a field of nine, which will also include the $133,673-earning Ken Warkentin filly Emmylou Who (PP1, Lyle MacArthur) to the far inside.
Bred by Tara Hills Stud of Port Perry, Ont., Poof Shes Gone hit home runs in virtually all of her trips to the plate in 2009. The $170,000 yearling purchase won 10 of her 12 starts last year and never missed the board. Poof Shes Gone is owned by Melvin Hartman of Ottawa, Ont., Herb Liverman of Miami Beach, Florida, David McDuffee of Delray Beach, Florida and John Fielding of Toronto, Ont.
After finishing a close third in her career debut, a $15,000 overnight, Poof Shes Gone put together a six-race win streak in which she captured the $525,800 Merrie Annabelle, swept an OSS Gold event and snared a division of the Champlain Stakes. After winning her elimination of the Peaceful Way Stakes, she finished less than one length back in second in the rich final. Picking herself up and dusting herself off, Poof Shes Gone travelled to the Red Mile and handily won a division of the International Stallion stakes before coming to Woodbine Racetrack to sweep her $617,880 Breeders Crown category. With a favourable schedule afterward, Poof Shes Gone reloaded for her season-ended OSS Super Final. After laying off the early tempo, Miller put the filly into gear and the pair trotted off to a four-length victory in 1:55.3.
Poof Shes Gone has prepared for her seasonal pari-mutuel debut by recording two qualifying miles at the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The first, which came on April 22, was a one-length victory in 1:58.2. The second qualifying mile came on April 29 in which the filly finished third and trotted her mile in 1:59.2.
The second of Monday's OSS Gold eliminations has been carded as Race 5 (8:44 p.m.) and also houses a nine-horse field. The proven fillies in this dash have all drawn inside. Ruling Class (PP1, P. MacDonell), Random Destiny (PP2, R. Rekila), Isthatallyagot (PP3, A. MacDonald) and Wilsonator (PP4, S. Filion) have each surpassed the six-figure mark in career earnings at this point. The fastest filly to date in the field is the Southwind Lustre filly Isthatallyagot, who was victorious in 1:56.2 last year at Mohawk.
The top five finishers from each elimination will gain entrance to the $130,000 Gold final, which will take place on the Sunday, May 23 card of harness racing at Mohawk Racetrack in Campbellville, Ont.
First-race post time for Woodbine's Monday, May 17 program of racing is 7:20 p.m.
To view a free printable program page of Races 3 and 5 courtesy of TrackIT, please click on the corresponding links provided below.