Two-year-old pacing filly Spare Time Vegas makes her third start at Dresden Raceway on Wednesday, July 14 in one of four Grassroots divisions, and trainer Darryl Laver is hoping the Scottish proverb "the third time's lucky" holds true
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“I’ve raced her twice at Dresden, and she made a break in the first turn both times,” explains Laver.
The Petrolia, ON resident was actually hoping the Apaches Fame daughter would draw an outside post for her Grassroots debut, but Spare Time Vegas landed Post 2 for the second straight week. Don Rankin, Jr. will steer the youngster in Wednesday’s fifth race and Laver figures a cautious approach will be the veteran reinsman’s best strategy.
“He’ll have to baby her through the first turn,” says the trainer. “She can go lots; she can finish pretty good.”
Spare Time Vegas started her journey to the Ontario Sires Stakes with a June 3 qualifier at Hiawatha Horse Park, where she finished second with a 2:01.2 effort. Laver then shipped her to Mohawk Racetrack for a June 12 two-year-old qualifier, and the filly paced around the seven-eighths mile oval in 1:59.4 to finish fourth. On June 20 she made her first start at Dresden, in a Fillies & Mares Maiden event, and made her first break, but was able to recover quickly and finish second by three-quarters of a length in a 2:03.4 clocking.
Off the break, Laver sent Spare Time Vegas back to the qualifying ranks at Hiawatha Horse Park and the filly was a flawless third in 1:59.1. On July 7 she returned to Dresden, made a second break at the start and then suffered interference at the half, which caused another miscue and left her well back of the field.
Laver trains Spare Time Vegas for his girlfriend Shelley Gibson of Petrolia, ON, and they will be crossing their fingers that history does not repeat itself on Wednesday. Should the filly make another error, she might find herself ranked below stablemate Geneva Seelster for the first time since the duo started training together last fall.
“I always thought [Spare Time Vegas] was the better one, now I’m not sure,” admits Laver, who will harness Geneva Seelster from Post 4 in the first race.
Geneva Seelster heads into the Grassroots test off two fourth-place finishes over the Woodstock Raceway oval, posting a 2:02 clocking on June 26 and a 2:00.3 effort on July 3. Those results came as a pleasant surprise to Laver, who had been unable to eke out a sub 2:05 qualifier from the reluctant racehorse.
“She didn’t want to try too much. In her first couple of qualifiers we couldn’t get her to go,” explains the trainer-driver. “So we put her on Regu-Mate, and her attitude is starting to change.
“She’s got lots of speed,” he adds. “She hasn’t given 100 per cent yet, there’s still more in her.”
Rankin will also steer Geneva Seelster, and Laver says a mid-pack position would be ideal for the filly, who seems to need the extra push her peers provide.
“Hopefully she gets away in the middle. She’s got to be in the mix,” notes Laver.
Martin and Alex Hossack of Thamesford, ON own Geneva Seelster — who is the fifth foal from former Gold Series regular Go Alberta Go — offering up $10,000 for her at last fall’s Forest City Yearling Sale.
Although they are opposites in most aspects of their conformation and on-track behaviour, Laver says Geneva Seelster and Spare Time Vegas were both quick learners who are pleasant to work with around the barn. He hopes that both fillies can post a top five finish on Wednesday and garner a few Grassroots points.
Geneva Seelster and her peers in the first race will open Dresden Raceway’s Wednesday evening program at 4 p.m. The other Grassroots divisions are featured as Races 3, 5 and 7.
To view Wednesday's entries, click here.
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Way to fire D!
Way to fire D!