Trish Soulsby is having the time of her life in the Ohio Sires Stakes (OHSS) program. The longtime owner was overcome with emotion on Friday night (July 1) in the Scioto Downs winner’s circle after her three-year-old trotting filly, A TC Queenie captured the first of three $40,000 OHSS divisions.
“It’s a dream come true to have a filly like this,” Soulsby said of the sophomore daughter of Triumphant Caviar. “I had a feeling about her since day one and just knew she was going to be something special.”
A TC Queenie has indeed turned into something special for Soulsby and her brother and co-owner Rick Schaut of Pompano Beach, Florida. The bay filly, who is out of the American Winner broodmare American Queen, notched her second straight OHSS triumph, clocked in a career-best 1:56.3 over the five-eighths mile Columbus oval. Given a perfect steer by Danny Noble for trainer Ron Steck, A TC Queenie prevailed by a neck over favoured Kerfuffle Cookie (Chris Page), who had led from the start. Buckeye Lady One (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) finished third.
Soulsby and Schaut purchased the filly at the 2014 Ohio Selected Yearling Sale.
“We actually went to the sale to bid on another horse,” Soulsby recalled. “We didn’t get that horse, but when this filly came into the ring, Rick said he wanted to go take a look at her. He liked what he saw, so I said, ‘let’s go for it!’”
When the gavel fell for the last time, Soulsby and Schaut were the winning bidders at $7,500.
“Rick took her to Florida to break and train,” Soulsby explained. “She had a few issues last year and I really thought she’d be better than she was. When Rick got hurt in a training accident, we turned her over to Ron [trainer Steck].
“We made a few adjustments with her between her two and three-year-old seasons,” Soulsby continued. “One thing we did was to adjust her ‘viewing-related’ issues in regards to what she can and can’t see. We also put a rolling bar under her crupper to stop her from goosing herself.”
Those tricks of the horsemen’s trade seemed to have done the job for A TC Queenie, who pushed her seasonal earnings to $50,425 with this latest win, the third of the year in seven starts. Lifetime, she’s amassed $76,241 for her efforts.
“I’m with this filly every day, seven days a week,” Soulsby said. “A few years ago, I became certified in equine massage therapy, so this filly gets a lot of Epsom salts soaks and a good share of rub downs.”
Bred by Danny Collins of Ohio, A TC Queenie is the sixth foal out of her dam and is a half-sister to King Chip K (by Chip Chip Hooray) 4, 2:00.4f ($36,737).
When 2-5 favourite Count On Kami (Kurt Sugg) made a break early in the mile of the second OHSS division, it gave her competitors an unexpected opportunity. In fact, it allowed one maiden filly to score her first ever victory.
Brushy Rose, with Ronnie Wrenn Jr. in the sulky, took the lead away from Soft Power (Chris Page) at the half-mile marker and drew off to prevail by three and a quarter lengths in 1:58.2. The win was the first for the daughter of Lionhunter in 10 career starts. Caring Gracee (Kyle Ater) had appeared poised to finish second, but made a break late in the lane, resulting in her being disqualified by the stewards and placed fifth for violation of the breaking rule. That moved Shut Up And Dance to second and Dj Baby Belle to third.
Trained by Brian Brown, Brushy Rose is owned by Millstream Stables, Joe Sbrocco and Don Latore. The winner of $29,625 lifetime was bred by Robert Slowery.
Consolidator continued her sweep of her OHSS series, by capturing the third division handily for driver Chris Page. Owned by the Green Acquisition Corporation of Canfield, Ohio, the three-year-old daughter of Triumphant Caviar led from start to finish through fractions of :27.3, :57 and 1:25.4, before storming home to a 1:55.3 lifetime-best clocking. Martys Luck Chip (Dan Noble) was second, with Kandy Krisp (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) getting up for third-place honours.
“She’s definitely the best Ohio horse I’ve ever had,” said winning owner John Green. “I do prefer having trotters and she really stood out at the 2014 Ohio Selected Yearling Sale. She looked more like a colt than a filly and was nice and sturdy-built. She had a real presence about her, which was difficult to ignore.”
Green, who has owned Standardbreds for more than three decades and owns and operates an airline leasing company, purchased Consolidator for $25,000. Trained by Jim Arledge Jr., the filly has amassed $137,816 in career earnings and this season has three wins in as many tries. While not always easy to handle in the barn or in the winner’s circle, she’s definitely a force to be reckoned with on the racetrack. Consolidator was bred by the Rose Run Farm of Ohio.
Ohio Sires Stakes action continues July 2 at Scioto Downs (post time 6:30 p.m., ET) with four divisions of three-year-old pacing fillies.
(With files from OSDF)