BELLEVILLE — Victoria Day normally kicks off the warm weather season in Ontario, but this year fans at Quinte Raceway will be relying on five Ontario Sires Stakes divisions of three-year-old trotting fillies to raise the temperature around the half-mile oval.
Last season’s Grassroots Champion Designable will warm things up from Post 7 in the first division — Race 2 on Monday’s 1:30 pm program — as she begins her drive for a second provincial title. The Earl daughter, owned by trainer Wayne Langille of Harley and his partners James Barton of Branchton, Jeff Adamson of Brantford and Terence Adamson of Harley, heads into Monday’s battle off a pair of solid qualifiers, capturing her first at Flamboro Downs on May 3 in 2:04 and finishing third at Mohawk Racetrack on May 9.
Designable will be joined by many seasoned veterans of the Ontario Sires Stakes circuit and a handful of newcomers to the provincial scene. Among the fillies making their OSS debut at Quinte Raceway is Katelyn’s Crown, owned by Gordon Ley of Glenburnie.
Coming into the $19,822 contest off a third-place effort in a May 3 qualifier at Kawartha Downs, Katelyn’s Crown lacks the racing experience of the other seven fillies in the fifth race, but Ley is confident the Wesgate Crown daughter has the ability and the tenacity to carve out a spot for herself on the Grassroots tour.
“She does everything right. She is a smart, nice gaited horse with a lot of heart and determination,” says Ley, who recently renamed the filly in honour of his daughter. “She is just a small horse and all the time I was training her people would look at her and say, “She’s so small,” but I just see a monster.”
Stabled at the old Kingston racetrack, Ley shipped Katelyn’s Crown to Quinte last Friday to train her and the veteran horseman was very pleased with the filly’s effort over the course where she will make her racing debut.
“We’re so close I thought I might as well take her over the track at least once,” he explains. “And she went around it pretty well. If she gets around that first turn I think she’ll be all right.
“This is the first one I’ve ever had for the Sires Stakes so we’re just looking for a little fun and excitement,” adds the trainer-driver.
Katelyn’s Crown will start from the advantageous Post 2 on Monday, exactly the position Ley would have chosen if he had been given the chance. Among the fillies she will face is Zorgwijk Dutchess, one of five fillies from the Arthur-based Ross Henry stable who will compete in Monday’s event. Henry also sends out Odee Angelina, Taffeta Seelster, St Lads Abby and Powerline Crystal.
Quinte Raceway’s Victoria Day matinee goes to the post at 1:30 pm with the three-year-old trotting fillies taking centre stage in Races 2, 3, 5, 6, and 8.