Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots action returns to Hiawatha Horse Park on Thursday, Aug. 23, and Darryl Laver is hoping the return to her hometown oval will help Thunderaway build on the positive results she has posted in her last two starts.
The three-year-old trotting filly heads into the sixth of seven $24,000 Grassroots divisions off a pair of wins at Georgian Downs. Thunderaway made her first ever appearance in the winner’s circle on July 28, finishing in a dead heat for the 1:59.2 win, and then delivered a repeat performance on Aug. 18, hitting the wire in 2:00.3.
“I’ve had the whole family and they all raced in the Grassroots,” notes Laver, who shares ownership of Thunderaway with breeders Fred Petersen of Springfield and Martin Hossack of Thamesford. “I thought this one was the best trotting-wise, that’s why I kept a piece of her. I think she’ll be a really nice horse down the road.”
Laver taught Thunderaway her early lessons and raced her four times as a two-year-old, netting two fourth-place finishes in Grassroots action, but sent her to Cambridge resident Ron O’Neill this spring. O’Neill has sent the daughter of Thunder Road and $109,530 winner Paidmyway behind the gate five times, but the filly had made breaks in every start before her recent victories at Georgian Downs.
Although O’Neill gave Thunderaway a test run without trotting hopples early in the season, the filly has sported the aids in all but one of her nine lifetime starts and Laver says they will continue to be part of her equipment list.
“She’s had them on; she had them on last season too. She needs them,” says the Petrolia resident.
“But the hopples broke in her last race. They came undone from the bike, so I guess she didn’t need them the other night,” he says with a wry chuckle.
Thunderaway will be looking for a third straight flawless line from Post 5 in the tenth race, facing off against seven Ontario Sires Stakes veterans, including fourth-ranked Majic Trend from Post 2 and eleventh-ranked Stormont Fried from Post 6.
With a ninth-place result in her only other Grassroots start this season, Thunderaway is not in a position to advance to the post season, but Laver would like to see her successfully compete with the province’s best.
“She’s a great big horse, I thought she’d be a really nice mare,” says the horseman.
“She’s been around that track a few times too, while I had her,” he adds. “Maybe she’ll be able to go with them there.”
A third generation product of Petersen’s breeding program, Thunderaway has two more opportunities to compete in the Grassroots program following Thursday’s start. The top 16 point earners from the six regular season Grassroots events will earn a spot in the Sept. 19 Semifinals at Grand River Raceway.
Three fillies currently share top spot in the point standings, but Girl Drama will have an opportunity to claim sole ownership of top spot at Hiawatha Horse Park on Thursday. The filly will battle from Post 2 in the eighth race while her rivals Counter Pointe and Dancehall Mistress sit this round out.
The three-year-old trotting fillies will battle in Races 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 on Thursday evening’s program. Hiawatha Horse Park’s first race rolls in behind the starting gate at 6:30 p.m.
(OSS)
To view entries for Thursday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Thursday Entries – Hiawatha Horse Park.