Three-year-old trotting fillies flooded the entry box for Tuesday’s card of racing at Georgian Downs, as the five-eighths oval hosted seven OSS Grassroots divisions during its 12-race card
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Thundering Ovation took the opening split in a career-best clocking of 2:00.4 for the tandem of driver Anthony MacDonald and trainer Gerry Sloan. The homebred daughter of Thunder Road-Shesintuff was hustled to the lead and from there she front-stepped her way through fractions of :29.1, 1:00.4 and 1:30.2 before using a :30.2 final panel to win by 7-3/4 lengths over Random Choice. Northern Blaze rounded out the top three finishers in the $24,000 tilt.
Joanne and Courtney Sloan of Harley, ON share ownership on the trotting lass, who improved her rookie record to 2-1-0 in four tries while lifting her lifetime earnings to $26,145.
Can I Say made breaks in her first two starts and as a result she finished up the track, but since the addition of trotting hopples she has been unbeatable for Team Whelan. The daughter of Fourth And One-Emerald Éclair pushed her winning streak to three-in-a-row thanks to her come-from-behind heroics in the second division. Garrett Whelan rallied the youngster to the quarter-length score over the odds-on favourite, Majestic Taglet, in a career-best clocking of 2:00.3. Third prize went to Striking Forever.
Trainer Jim Whelan of Troy shares ownership on the homebred with Terry and Clarence Devos of Langton, ON, and collectively they’ve watched the improving miss stash away $36,000 in her first five starts.
The Magic Of Paris also had gait issues to begin her career, but she was solid gold in Tuesday’s debut with the trotting hopples. She broke her maiden in 2:01.2 in the third division for the tandem of driver Robert Shepherd and trainer Kevin O’Reilly. Shepherd rallied the Kadabra-Balance The Paige lass to the 5-3/4 length triumph over race favourite De La Noche, with third prize going to Bad Romance.
Trot A Lot Canada Inc of Mississauga, ON owns the career winner of $17,800, who now boasts a 1-0-1 record in her first four assignments.
Special Spur got up in the final strides en route to hauling home the hardware and pulling off a 35-1 shocker in the fourth division for driver Steve Byron and trainer John Bax. Byron rallied the Pegasus Spur-Celsius Hanover homebred to the three-quarter length decision over Tyrone Conchie, who was third-placed-second, and Carscot Shalamar, who was fourth-placed-third. Time for the mile was 2:02.3.
Sent off as the longest shot on the board, Special Spur prevailed for the partnership of Glengate Farms of Campbellville, Parkhill Stud Farm of Peterborough and Don Allensen of Camlachie, ON. In four tries she’s managed to put together a 1-0-1 record while stashing away more than $15,000 in earnings.
Dayplanner was bet down to odds of 1-9 in the fifth division, and she didn’t let down her army of backers. The Oaklea Julian-Our Day homebred and trainer/driver Paul Walker swept past the competition en route to a 1-3/4 length tally in 2:01.1. Little Misshubbard was a solid runner-up, while Ithinkshestheone set the pace and faded late to finish third.
Brenda Walker of Owen Sound, ON bred and owns the near-perfect filly, who now boasts a 5-0-1 record from just six racing assignments this season. She has banked close to $60,000 to date.
Elin was a much-the-best winner in the sixth division, and in doing so she is now a perfect 2-for-2 since the addition of trotting hopples. She went 0-for-5 without them in the early stages of her career for trainer Dave Menary, who has to be pleased with her progression since the change. Robert Shepherd closed from just off the pace with the daughter of Angus Hall-Too Good For You, who sped away to win by five lengths over Stirling Abacus in a personal best clocking of 1:59.3. The show dough was earned by Smarty Pants.
Thomas and Scott Dillon of Anson, ME, who shelled out $62,000 for the filly at last year’s Lexington Select Yearling Sale, have watched their investment earn back just over $23,000 to date.
Winbak Tess proved to be a ‘live’ catch-drive for Bruce Richardson, who piloted the daughter of Mutineer-Tybridge to a 2:01.1 score in the final division. She closed from just off-the-tempo to win by 1-1/4 lengths over Filly In Pink in what turned out to be a career-best clocking. Taking home the bronze medal was race favourite Warrawee Nuke.
Kathleen Girling of Rodney, ON owns and trains the career winner of $37.935, who improved her record to 2-2-2 in nine tries with the win.
To view results for Tuesday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Tuesday Results – Georgian Downs.