Only 10 three-year-old trotting fillies will compete in one $40,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold elimination at Windsor Raceway on Sunday, and trainer Gregg McNair is hoping Eagle Canada can extend the consistent streak that has seen her advance to the final of every stake she has contested since June
.
“She’s been in all stake races, and it’s pretty tough to win one, but she’s been consistent all year,” said McNair. “I hope she continues.”
Eagle Canada missed the first Gold Final of the season, finishing fourth in her May 20 elimination at Western Fair Raceway, but since then the filly has a perfect record when it comes to qualifying for finals. She has appeared in three Gold Finals, along with the Elegantimage, Canadian Breeders Championship and Standardbred Breeders of Ontario Association Stake finals.
Through her 14 sophomore starts the daughter of Kadabra and $276,093 winner Sturdy Lori has not won a race, but she has accumulated $181,127 in earnings through four seconds, three thirds, three fourths and three fifth-place finishes, missing a pay cheque on just two occasions.
Last season Eagle Canada made 11 starts for McNair and owner-breeder Frank Dettore Horse Racin of North Ridgeville, Ohio. The filly captured a Gold elimination at Mohawk Racetrack in mid-August and an overnight event later in the season, but was far more unpredictable than she has been this year.
“Her problem last year was gapping off the gate. She couldn’t seem to trot fast enough,” said McNair, noting that the filly sported trotting hopples at two, but has raced without them this season. “This year she’s been a little better that way, she’s got more gate speed.”
Regular reinsman Doug McNair will steer Eagle Canada from Post 3 in Sunday’s Gold elimination, which will see reigning Gold Final champion China Pearls start from the trailing Post 10. Nine fillies will earn a return invitation to Windsor for the Oct. 9 Gold Final and McNair expects competition for all nine spots to be heated.
“They are a nice bunch of mares,” said the Guelph, Ont. resident. “And Windsor is usually a good track.”
McNair was impressed enough with Eagle Canada at two that he purchased her Angus Hall half-sister, Sturdy As A Hall, at last year’s Lexington Select Yearling Sale for $42,000. The filly enjoyed limited success on the provincial circuit this season, but McNair has hopes that she can follow in her sister’s footsteps at three.
“She raced a little this year. We didn’t get far with her, but I still think she’s a nice filly,” noted the horseman.
Eagle Canada currently ranks fifth in the Gold Series standings with 92 points and is virtually assured of a berth in the season ending Super Final, which goes postward on Nov. 12 at Woodbine Racetrack. So long as the filly stays happy and healthy through the final weeks of the Ontario Sires Stakes season, McNair expects her to continue delivering the kind of consistent effort that has been the hallmark of her sophomore season thus far.
“I wish I had a few more like her,” said the trainer.
Eagle Canada and her peers will battle in the eighth race on Windsor Raceway’s Sunday evening program, which gets under way at 7 p.m.
To view Sunday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Sunday Entries - Windsor Raceway.
(OSS)