HANOVER, ON — Reigning Gold Final champ Independent Woman scored her third straight victory in the fastest of four Trillium Series divisions at Hanover Raceway on Saturday.
The two-year-old trotting filly and driver Wayne Henry took control of the tenth race just past the opening quarter and never glanced back, coasting home to the win in 2:03.2. Fellow Gold Series competitors Sephora and Wanabeamillionaire finished behind Independent Woman in second and third.
Trainer Ross Henry of Arthur owns the winner of $91,765, who equalled the 2:00.1 Ontario Sires Stakes record in her Gold Final winning performance at Flamboro Downs on July 13.
The Henry Stable also scored a third-place finish at Hanover Raceway on Saturday when Wayne Henry piloted Taffeta Seelster home two lengths behind Flannery Hall in the ninth race.
While Jilted and Armbro Aquarius traded the lead, Flannery Hall and trainer-driver Mike Keeling were working steadily up the outside from 13 lengths back at the quarter pole to three lengths at the three-quarters. As the field turned for home Keeling asked the Garland Lobell filly for a burst of speed and Flannery Hall responded to score the 2:05.2 victory over Jilted and Taffeta Seelster.
Former Owen Sound resident Keeling trains Flannery Hall for P C Wellwood Enterprises Inc. of Cambridge and Paul MacDonell of Orono.
Guardian Image and Lukes Viviane kicked off the Trillium Series event with a dead heat in the first division. The fillies hit the wire side-by-side in 2:05.3, with Lukes Viviane catching pacesetter Guardian Image through the stretch.
Parkhill Stud Farm or Peterborough, Harry Locke of Oshawa, Aline James of Lindsay and Karen Debnam of Little Britain share ownership on John Bax trainee Guardian Image, while trainer Carl Jamieson of Jarvis shares ownership on Lukes Viviane with Gerald Ross of Downsview and William Knights of Blenheim.
With the dead heat there was no second-place finisher and Lexus Hall picked up the third-place finisher’s share.
The final division went to Mikestory and driver/trainer/owner Bill Megens in 2:05. The Troy resident sent the Eager Seelster filly straight to the top from Post 3 and never looked back, delivering a three length win margin over Aimees Image and Memories Of Texas.
The two-year-old trotting fillies make their next Gold Series start July 29 at Woodbine Racetrack and their next Grassroots start at Dresden Raceway on Civic Holiday Monday, Aug. 5. Their final Trillium Match up is Oct. 18 at Rideau Carleton Raceway in Ottawa.
Ontario Sires Stakes excitement returns to Hanover Raceway on Saturday, Aug. 17 with the three-year-old trotting colts in their fourth Grassroots event.