SUDBURY, ON — Sudbury Downs fans will be treated to a battle of the three-year-old pacing filly titans on Saturday night when Grassroots division leaders Hot Shot Rocket and Tribute To Heroes go head-to-head in the eleventh race.
Sitting atop the standings with 112 points earned through two wins and one third in Grassroots action, Hot Shot Rocket will be looking to maintain her leadership position with a solid effort from Post 3 while Tribute To Heroes attempts to jump ahead with her third straight Grassroots victory from Post 1.
Ben Wallace trains Tribute To Heroes and says the rail will suit the Run The Table daughter, who captured her Aug. 2 division at Kawartha Downs with a front end performance from Post 1, stopping the clock in 1:55.2.
“If she can get to the front and control the pace, she usually gets a little respect,” says Wallace. “She’ll be okay from the rail.”
Tribute To Heroes heads into Saturday’s $18,571 skirmish from the Fan Hanover Stakes, where she failed to hit the board in the Aug. 16 elimination or Aug. 23 Consolation, but delivered two sharp miles in premier company.
“We tried the Fan Hanover, we knew going in it would be a stretch, but we wanted to go that route once,” explains the Milton resident, who trains Tribute To Heroes for Jeffrey Langfelder of Atlanta, GA, Steve Heidelberger of Baldwin, NY and Edward Leiva of Little Neck, NY. “It was an unsuccessful venture so she’ll carry on down the Grassroots path for now. That’s where she belongs.”
The filly’s pair of victories in Grassroots action have earned her 100 points, and she currently sits in a four-way tie for second spot in the division standings. Barry Treen, who works as a second trainer for Wallace, will drive Tribute To Heroes Saturday and in addition to Hot Shot Rocket the reinsman will be keeping an eye out for former Gold Series competitor Feathery Fame from Post 2.
Treen will also pilot Wallace’s other entry in the Grassroots program, Tiffany Hall, who makes her bid for a second provincial victory from Post 6 in the eighth race. The Camluck filly has been showing steady improvement over recent weeks and captured her first win of the season in the Kawartha Grassroots with a 1:57.2 effort.
“She’s a trip horse, but she’s getting a little stronger,” says Wallace. “She’s good coming off the pace. If they go a little speed up front it’s in her best interests.”
Walnut Hall Limited of Lexington, KY owns Tiffany Hall, who sits just below the current cut off for the top 16 with 50 points. A solid finish on Saturday could propel the filly closer to a berth in the season ending Grassroots Semifinal.
Among Tiffany Hall’s competition in the eighth race are last year’s Grassroots champion Wendys Rocket from Post 4 and Kawartha winner Up Front American from Post 5.
Sudbury Downs sends its first race to the post at 7:15 pm on Saturday and features the three-year-old pacing fillies in Races 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13.