Fifteen feisty freshman fillies will be going postward on Friday night at Woodbine Racetrack, in two $23,000 eliminations for the upcoming $660,000 Three Diamonds Stakes, part of the Fall Four for two-year-olds scheduled for October 25.
In the first elim (race #6, post time 9:10 p.m.), a Western Ideal lass by the name of Twist N Clout is rated the 2-1 favourite, coming off a win in the $107,300 International Stallion Stake at Lexington's Red Mile. Joe Holloway trains Twist N Clout for the Val Dor Farms of Millstone, New Jersey, who paid $40,000 for the filly at the Harrisburg sale last year and so far have raked in $281,529 in purses from her efforts. John Campbell has been tapped to drive.
Also worth watching will be a jet-black daughter of I Am A Fool, called Hawaiian Drink, who'll be sent postward by Tracy Brainard. She'll be making her Canadian debut in the Three Diamonds elims, but with a record of 4-1-0 in seven starts she's no longer a debutante, and has already showed her grit with a scant neck victory in the Kentuckiana Stakes at Indiana Downs, back on September 5. She has had a two-week rest, and will have Brian Sears in the bike to guide her Friday.
The second elim (race #9, post time 10:10 p.m.) may turn out to be a showcase for West Of L A, who was also victorious in an International Stallion Stake at Lexington recently. Apart from a single misfire in the Shes A Great Lady stakes final on August 30 at Mohawk, West Of L A, a daughter of Western Hanover, has been no worse than second in her eight lifetime starts for breeder/co-owner/trainer Bob McIntosh, who has named Steve Condren to drive the filly.
But West Of L A may face some fancy footwork from Ginger And Fred, who'll be sent postward by trainer Kevin Lare. A daughter of Real Artist – Graceful Motion, Ginger And Fred is looking to build on a five-race win streak. In an October 10 qualifier at Mohawk, she waltzed home 13 lengths ahead of her nearest rival in an easy 1:53.4. Jerry Silva co-owns the filly, who was a $25,000 yearling purchase, along with Howard Taylor of Penn Valley, Robert Feldman of Gladwyne, and Edwin Gold, of Wayne, PA. She's rated the 2-1 favourite in the morning line.
Friday night's race card at Woodbine will also feature three eliminations for the Goldsmith Maid stakes for freshman filly trotters.
To view Friday's entries, click here.
(WEG)