In The Wheelhouse gets a promotion to the Gold Series on Friday evening as the two-year-old pacing fillies bring their high speed show to Flamboro Downs.
The Stonebridge Regal daughter made four starts in the Grassroots program earlier in the season, with her best effort a third-place result at Woodstock Raceway on July 20, but a pair of strong efforts in overnight action this month prompted trainer Danny Girard of Waterdown and owners Wheelhouse Racing Stable of Mississauga to give the filly a berth in Friday’s Gold Eliminations.
“Being at Flamboro — she’s pretty comfortable there — we thought we’d roll the dice and give her a shot,” says In The Wheelhouse principal Doug Bruce, who makes his home in Kitchener.
In The Wheelhouse posted a 1:56.4 victory over the Flamboro Downs oval on Sept. 5 and followed that up with a third-place effort at Mohawk Racetrack on Sept. 13 where she paced her own mile in 1:56.1. Bruce says Girard made some shoeing and equipment changes in late August that seem to be paying off for the filly.
“She’s not the biggest one out there, but it seems like she has the heart and she has the drive,” notes the owner. “We’ll kick her up a notch and see how she handles chasing after them.”
Wheelhouse Racing Stable, in which Bruce is a part of, purchased In The Wheelhouse from last fall’s Canadian Yearling Sale for $9,500. The half-sister to $227,200 winner Six Of Diamonds was one of five yearlings the partners acquired in their first foray into yearling ownership.
“Going to the sale was the first hurrah for me,” recalls Bruce. “We bought five and two have raced so far.”
In addition to In The Wheelhouse, the partners have cheered two-year-old trotting colt Enough About You to one win and one second in Grassroots action.
Girard stables at the Campbellville Training Centre and Bruce enjoys stopping in at the barn en route from his Mississauga office to his Kitchener home.
“I drive by her every day,” says the new owner. “I usually stop in once or twice a week to see what’s going on.”
Bruce will be on hand to support the filly in her Gold Series debut on Friday, but is pragmatic about the filly’s chances against a field of Gold Series veterans, including former Gold Final champion Right On Molly from Post 2 and reigning Gold Final champion Its No Secret from Post 5.
“Obviously there are some real good ones in there,” notes Bruce.
“We’re going week by week with her right now,” he adds. “If she continues to improve and shows she can compete, we’ll press on.”
Cambridge resident Billy Davis Jr. will steer In The Wheelhouse from Post 3 in her Gold Series debut, facing off against four other hopefuls in the first of two $40,000 Gold Eliminations The top four finishers from each elimination will advance to the Sept. 28 Gold Final.
The other elimination features division point leader Kims Royal Day, who Davis will send after her third Gold Elimination victory from Post 1, and Battle Of The Belles winner Macharoundtheclock from Post 6.
Flamboro Downs sends the first race of the Friday evening program postward at 6 p.m. and turns the spotlight on the talented two-year-old pacing fillies in Races 2 and 6.
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To view entries for Friday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Friday Entries – Flamboro Downs.