Trainer Tony Alagna is best known for his skill as a trainer of pacers thanks to the exploits of champion Captaintreacherous, who was scheduled to compete in an elimination tonight at Mohawk for the Canadian Pacing Derby, Canada’s oldest harness stake race, but was scratched earlier today due to sickness.
However, Alagna still has eight starters into go at the Campbellville, Ont. oval this evening, all pacers. He has two starters in the eliminations for the Metro Pace, including the undefeated colt Artspeak, and four fillies competing in the Shes A Great Lady eliminations.
To switch things up, tomorrow night, Alagna sends out a trotter, Mystical Wishes, who has been rounding into form since shifting to his stable last month. The Muscle Mass lass has won all three starts since Alagna took over her conditioning -- two overnights at Mohawk and an Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots event at the same track on August 12, which she won by more than three lengths in 1:55.1, her life mark to date.
Mystical Wishes has drawn the rail in the second of five $18,000 OSS Grassroots divisions for three-year-old trotting fillies Sunday evening at Rideau Carleton Raceway. Mario Baillargeon will catch drive for Alagna and owners Mystical Marker Farms, who also bred the filly, and Peggy Hood of Indiana.
Among her competition is locally owned Diamonds For Life, a daughter of Angus Hall who will leave from post four with one of Rideau’s top pilots, Gord Brown, in the bike. Mark Steacy trains the filly, who had some issues with breaks earlier this season but seems to have that resolved and finished third in the Grassroots event at Mohawk on August 12.
Owned by Frank Spagnolo and Frank Schimizzi of Ottawa, Ont., Diamonds For Life was bred by Tom Porchak of Woodstock Ont. She is the first foal of his $116,000 winning mare Jayportcashforlife, a full sister to $743,000 winner Susies Magic.
Porchak also bred another starter in the same division, Jayport Princess. who has post eight with Anthony MacDonald slated to steer. Trained by Chris Beaver, who co-owns with Synerco Ventures Inc. of Toronto and Glenview Livestock Ltd. of Guelph, Ont., the daughter of Kadabra is making her first 2014 OSS appearance. She’s raced exclusively at Scioto Downs this year, but competed in the OSS last year at two.
Jayport Princess is the first foal from $172,000 winner Jayport Sweetheart, by Balanced Image, an OSS winner at three.
This division’s leading point earner, Torches Star, has post one in race eight. Steve Condren has the driving assignment behind the Angus Hall filly owned by Brad Grant of Milton, Ont. and trained by Ben Wallace. Torches Star has accumulated 105 points in this division to lead the way.
The second placed filly, Love Detective, has drawn into the same division on Sunday night. She’ll leave from post three with MacDonald up for trainer Jimmy Takter.
Racing at Rideau gets underway at 6:30 p.m. Sunday night with the OSS gals features in races one, four, six, eight and nine.
To view Sunday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Sunday Entries - Rideau Carleton.
(OSS)