CTV News Atlantic recently profiled Maritime pacing sensation Woodmere Stealdeal as he prepares to make his first start of his sophomore season.
“This year’s going to be a little tougher,” co-owner Kevin Dorey said to CTV Atlantic. “Some of his competitors have improved quite a bit over the winter, so it’s going to be a little tougher for him this summer. But we have some faith that he can continue the streak.”
The gelding by Steelhead Hanover went undefeated as a freshman from 13 starts, earning $68,646 for owners Kevin Dorey and Robert Sumarah. In his two-year-old campaign, Woodmere Stealdeal also set five track records.
“Last year he was winning and winning,” trainer Danny Romo said. “The more he wins, the more pressure on you and stuff like that. There were some colts that chased him right to the wire. People said ‘Oh geeze, that’s a wicked track record’ and all this, but if he doesn’t go there, he doesn’t win. Those horses are right on his tail every time at the wire.”
Woodmere Stealdeal qualified twice ahead of his first pari-mutuel race of the year. In his first, he galloped at the start but regained stride and still managed to lead at every pole in a 1:57 mile. He stayed flat in his next qualifier, a 1:57.2 mile. Both miles took place at Truro Raceway, his hometrack.
“He wants to go,” Romo said. “Horses come at him, he wants to take him. He feels the same way training – he’s probably healthier this year than he was last year so far. The colts that chased him last year, they grow bigger and stuff, they could be better this year. It ain’t going to be easy, we’ll put it that way. I think he’ll give a good showing for himself.”
Dorey said Woodmere Stealdeal has at least 16 races on his calendar starting with the first preliminary of the Atlantic Sires Stakes for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings. He goes in a $16,400 “A” division, carded as Race 13, on Governor’s Plate night at Summerside Raceway (Saturday, July 10). ‘Stealdeal’s regular pilot Marc Campbell retains the assignment as the gelding will try to carry his undefeated streak into 2021.
“He’ll be travelling all over every weekend,” Dorey said. “We’re just hoping that he can keep winning and being in the top three every start, which I think he will because he’s a very fast horse and loves to go past horses.”
CTV News Atlantic's profile of Woodmere Stealdeal is available below:
To view Saturday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Saturday Entries - Summerside Raceway.