Trainer Josh McKibbin will be in familiar territory preparing a Ballykeel Racing homebred for a shot at OSS glory when the Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots season for two-year-old trotting fillies begins Saturday (July 2) at Hiawatha Horse Park.
The Ballykeel Deal (Wheeling N Dealin-Ballykeel Majestic) is making her racing debut for McKibbin at the track where her half-brother Sir Ballykeel finished second in a Grassroots division last season.
“She’s a smart and controllable filly with a little bit of foot speed. I like her so far,” said McKibbin. “She follows a family trait in that they seem to be good gaited and stay on stride, which is important for a young filly.”
McKibbin has now trained three Ballykeel Racing Inc. homebreds out of the Majestic Son mare Ballykeel Majestic.
“As much as they are individuals you can always pick something up,” said McKibbin. “I’m always comparing where they’re at to where the brother is at, and I think this filly is probably the furthest along of them all.”
She qualified in a time of 2:08.4 at Grand River on June 22.
McKibbin noted that it is a somewhat unique circumstance to have a first career start on the five-eights-mile track in Sarnia.
“They will go a little faster over the bigger turns than a half-mile turn,” said McKibbin. “I think my filly is well suited for a half-mile because she is so good gaited, but she also has foot speed. You know it will be a little bit of a faster mile there.”
McKibbin has tipped Garrett Rooney to drive the trotter on Saturday.
Cash Deals was installed as the 5-2 morning line favourite in the $22,200 division. The Wheeling N Dealin-Im So Ready daughter is trained by Mario Baillargeon for Thestable Cash Deals Grp. Mario Baillargeon will be in the race bike.
In the second division, Priceless Resolve (Resolve-Priceless Lass) will go for trainer-driver duo John and Matt Bax. The daughter of the leading OSS trotting stallion so far in 2022 will look to duplicate the OSS success her fellow Resolve offspring, Duly Resolved, had in 2021.
To view the entries for Saturday's card of harness racing at Hiawatha Horse Park, click the following link: Saturday Entries – Hiawatha Horse Park.
(OSS)