For Ohio Sires Stakes victress A TC Queenie, it’s all a matter of routine, according to her owner and full-time caretaker, Trish Soulsby.
“'Queenie' has a routine and I never break it,” Soulsby noted. “She’s giving me the time of my life in horse racing by winning these Sires Stakes.”
A TC Queenie captured her third OHSS leg on Friday night, August 19 at Scioto Downs, timed in 1:55.3 for Soulsby and co-owner Richard Schaut of Pompano Beach, Florida. The daughter of Triumphant Caviar captured the first of two $40,000 OHSS events for three-year-old trotting fillies as the public’s choice.
Giving a masterful steer by Chris Page, who was behind the low-headed filly with the big stride for the first time, A TC Queenie used her signature, come-from-behind move to prevail by three-quarters of a length over the hard-trying longshot Super Lily (Kurt Sugg). Another longshot, Martys Lucky Chip, got up for third for trainer/driver Danny Noble.
“In between her races we never turn her, she just gets jogged,” Soulsby admitted. “She also gets a lot of grass time and has her own paddock where she’s turned out a good portion of each day. She also gets a lot of cookies and carrots, and for me, it’s such a joy and labour of love that I get to be with her seven days a week. Love goes a long way with these horses.”
Trained by Ron Steck, A TC Queenie finished third in the first leg of this series at Miami Valley Raceway, before winning the next two legs in 1:58.3 and 1:56.3. She also scored a 1:55.1 personal-best in an Ohio State Fair stake at Scioto on July 29.
“When Rick [Soulsby's brother Schaut] sent her to me this Spring, he told me she was going to be very impressive this year,” Soulsby recalled. “The best thing about 'Queenie' is that she’s very easy on herself and she wants to win. She just floats over the ground and she’s the whole package — the complete horse. She doesn’t do anything wrong and has the heart of a champion.”
Soulsby purchased A TC Queenie for $7,500 at the 2014 Ohio Select Yearling Sale, and she has rewarded her owner by earning $128,366 to date. The filly is the sixth foal out of the unraced American Winner mare American Queen and is a half-sister to King Chip K (by Chip Chip Hooray) 4, 2:00.4f ($36,737).
In the second OHSS division, Consolidator took home first-place money for driver Chris Page and trainer Jim Arledge Jr., winning in a new career mark of 1:55.1. The Triumphant Caviar lass is the leading point earner in this series, having swept all four legs impressively for owners Green Acquisition Corp. of Canfield, Ohio.
“This was only her fifth start of the year so she’s still relatively fresh,” Page noted. “She’s gets around a half-mile track alright, so in the Championship [on September 3 at Northfield Park], it’s all going to come down to the draw [for post position]."
Consolidator won Leg 1 in 1:57.4; Leg 2 in 1:58; and Leg 3 in 1:55.3. In this fourth leg test, she opted to sit in the two-hole behind the pacesetting Kestrel (Aaron Merriman) until mid-stretch. The hefty, rangy filly finished one and three-quarter lengths in front of Kestrel at the wire, with Count On Kami (Kurt Sugg) garnering show honours.
Bred by the Rose Run Farm, Consolidator pushed her seasonal earnings to $92,687 and her lifetime bankroll to $170,303. She is the sixth and most prolific foal out of the Muscles Yankee mare Muscle Toy, 3, 1:55.3 ($107,723) and commanded a $25,000 tag at the 2014 Ohio Select Yearling Sale.
(With files from OSDF)