Ottawa, Ont. resident Melvin Hartman is having the kind of year most standardbred owners only dream about, so it is fitting that one of his horses will race at Rideau Carleton Raceway this Friday evening, on the day he celebrates being 66 years young
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"She’s racing on my birthday," Hartman said of two-year-old trotting filly Onehallofawoman, who will make her fourth Grassroots start in Rideau Carleton’s second race on Friday. "We’ll have to get people over a little early for dinner, so I can get over to watch her race. I’ll take my grandchildren over, and if she gets the job done, that would be wonderful."
Onehallofawoman has the potential to grant Hartman his birthday wish. Through her first five starts, the Angus Hall daughter has posted one win, one second and two thirds. She currently ranks fourth in the Grassroots standings with 87 points earned through one win, one second and one third in provincial stakes action.
"We’ve protected her by racing her in the Grassroots," Hartman noted. "We’re giving her a chance to build up her confidence and develop. Rene’s (Laarman) been very happy with her."
Onehallofawoman made her qualifying debut at Mohawk Racetrack on June 22, touring the Campbellville, Ont. oval in 2:03.2, and then stepped out in a July 3 overnight at Grand River Raceway, finishing fourth in a 2:04 mile. Trainer Rene Laarman sent the filly to Clinton Raceway for the Grassroots season opener on July 19 and was delighted when Onehallofawoman came home with the runner-up share of the $24,000 purse.
Third in her July 26 Bud Light division at Flamboro Downs, Onehallofawoman found her way to the winner’s circle in the August 13 Grassroots contest at Hiawatha Horse Park, stopping the clock at 2:01.2. The filly heads into Friday’s skirmish off a third-place finish in the September 5 Grassroots event at Hanover Raceway.
"She’ll race in the Grassroots and hopefully get enough points to get into the Semifinal, which is at Rideau," Hartman said. "Then we’ll see how she winters after that and hopefully she’ll go on to a productive year as a three-year-old."
Hartman selected Onehallofawoman out of last fall’s Canadian Open Yearling Sale, shelling out $35,000 for the filly because of her pedigree — she is the first foal of Donerail broodmare Womanly Wiles, part of a maternal family Hartman has had success with — and her conformation. A 40-year veteran of the standardbred business that has also trained and driven his own horses, Hartman hit the jackpot at last fall’s yearling sales and has been reaping the rewards since July.
"We’re having a hell of a year with our two-year-olds," he said. "We won two eliminations of the Peaceful Way last night. I have a colt in the Wellwood on Sunday, Il Villaggio, he’s the real deal, and Woodstock, he was in the Metro, he’s a very good colt. And Raising Rachel has had a hell of a year."
While she has been a consistent player on the Grassroots scene, Onehallofawoman’s accomplishments are necessarily overshadowed by the likes of three-year-old trotting filly Raising Rachel, who finished second by a nose in the Hambletonian Oaks in August and has earned $613,132 in her career, and two-year-old trotting fillies Poof Shes Gone and Cantab It All, who have banked $452,864 and $156,368 respectively. Two-year-old trotting colt Il Villaggio has already earned $188,883 in his first five outings, and two-year-old pacing colt Woodstock captured his Metro Pace elimination in his third lifetime start.
"I feel very fortunate this year, very fortunate," Hartman said.
Onehallofawoman kicks off an exciting birthday weekend for Hartman — the $515,000 William Wellwood Memorial and $502,000 Peaceful Way will go postward on Sunday at Mohawk Racetrack. Onehallofawoman will attempt to kick start the festivities from Post 3 in the second $24,000 Grassroots division at Rideau Carleton on Friday.
First race post time for Rideau Carleton Raceway’s Friday evening program is 6:30 p.m., and the talented two-year-old trotting fillies will show off their skills in Races 1, 2, 5, 6, 9 and 11.
Click here to view Rideau's harness racing entries for Friday.
(With files from the OSS)