LONDON, OCT. 16, 2001 – The battle for a berth in the two-year-old pacing filly Grass Roots post season comes to a climax on Saturday when the top fillies in the province go head-to-head at Western Fair Raceway.
Leading the fillies into Saturday’s final regular season event is Weather Channel, who starts from Post 2 in the eight race. From four Grass Roots starts the Chill Factor daughter, owned by breeder Glenn Nicholls of Ancaster, has recorded three wins and one second for 19 points.
Hot on Weather Channel’s heels is Catch This Bunny, who has two wins, one second and one third in four Grass Roots outings. Trained by John Pentland for the Catch This Bunny Group of London, the Precious Bunny filly will to try jump to the head of the class from Post 5 in Race 9.
Although Catch This Bunny has not raced since Sept. 22 her trainer expects a solid outing, aided by the arrival of cool weather.
“She’s kind of a delicate thing and she had some problems with muscle soreness when it was hot during the summer,” says Pentland. “The Gold Elimination at Flamboro (Aug. 4) was a disaster. It was really hot and she was third, beaten by a neck, but she was to the three-quarters in 1:30.3. She should have been able to hang on.
“She seems better now that the cold weather is here. She’s really fast, but wimpy.”
Pentland adds that it is not difficult to keep the energetic filly fit between races, a factor that contributed to the decision to limit the filly’s starts this season.
“She keeps herself really fit, that’s why we haven’t raced her this month,” says the London resident. “She may not be 100 per cent sharp for Saturday, but we figured it was the best plan going into the Final.”
The top 16 point earners after Saturday’s contest advance to the Oct. 27 Grass Roots Semifinals at Windsor Raceway. The top four finishers from each Semifinal then compete in the $100,000 Grass Roots Championship on Nov. 3.
Western Fair Raceway shines the spotlight on the freshman pacing fillies in Races 2, 5,6, 8, and 9. Racing gets under way at the London oval at 7:30 pm on Saturday.
FOR MORE CONTACT SANDRA SNYDER AT 519-656-2017 OR smsnyder@sentex.net.