ELORA, ON — Ontario Sires Stakes action returns to Grand River Raceway on Friday evening with nine Grassroots divisions for the hotly competitive three-year-old pacing fillies.
Looking for her first victory in the talented division is Wallenstein resident Robert Schlegel’s Whitesand Trick, who heads into the eleventh race off an impressive 1:55.4 victory at Hanover Raceway last Saturday.
“Trevor (Henry) gave her the perfect drive,” says Paul Taylor, who trains the filly for Schlegel’s Glenview Livestock Ltd. “I think she was about one or two-fifths of a second off the track record.”
The win was Whitesand Trick’s fifth through an early season campaign that has seen her finish no worse than third in seven starts. In the Grassroots season opener, May 28 at Western Fair Raceway, she bounced back from interference early in the mile to finish second, so regular reinsman Trevor Henry will be hunting for the winner’s circle Friday.
“She’s all heart and she gives her best shot no matter what track she races at,” says Taylor. “And she likes passing horses. If she gets the right trip, they’ll know she’s coming at the end.”
Henry will steer the Astreos daughter from Post 5 in Friday’s eleventh race, taking on a pair of fillies who have already claimed Grassroots hardware this season. Thweet Thavage will start from Post 2 while Skyler Seelster rides into the $15,000 contest on a two-race win streak from Post 3.
“It all depends on the weather, but I estimate those fillies could go between 1:56 and 1:57,” says the Clinton resident, who picked Whitesand Trick out of a mixed sale at the end of her freshman season for just $24,000.
“She had pretty good two-year-old lines, she looked like she could fit for the three-year-old campaign,” he recalls. “And her pedigree, the Astreos’ were showing up at the time too.
“I gave her two months off and then took my time bringing her back,” he adds. “When we started training her she showed she had a little go, and she’s very laid back and easy on herself.”
Whitesand Trick’s speed has already earned Glenview Livestock $23,370, and her attitude has made the filly a favourite with the Schlegel family.
“She is Rob’s (Schlegel) mother’s favourite horse. She is a pretty nice filly to be around,” says Taylor. “And when it’s race day they are loyal fans.”
The Schlegel family will be cheering Whitesand Trick home in the last of nine Grassroots divisions at Grand River Raceway on Friday, with the first slated to roll up behind the starting gate at 7:27 pm. In addition to Race 1 and 11, the three-year-old pacing fillies are also featured in Races 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9.
For a complete list of Friday night’s entries go to:
www.standardbredcanada.ca/entries/data/egrvrfr.html