CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — When owner Niele Jiwan watches three-year-old pacing filly Chancey Lady race, he figures the boys from the musical Damn Yankees had it right — all you really need is heart.

The dainty filly logged her eleventh lifetime victory in Gold Elimination action at Mohawk Racetrack last weekend off a seven week lay off, and heads back to the Campbellville oval this Saturday in search of her second Gold Final title of the season.

“That race, I was watching it at home, and it was just outstanding,” says Jiwan, who resides in Burnaby, BC. “She’s just a small little horse, but she has tremendous heart.”

In her first start for trainer John Pentland of Dorchester, ON, Chancey Lady got away fifth from Post 7 and was hung up on the outside through the entire mile before powering down the stretch to the two and a half length win in 1:52.3. Driver Mike Saftic of Campbellville, ON drove both Chancey Lady and the other elimination winner, reigning Gold Final winner Im Just Special, and will return to Chancey Lady’s race bike for Saturday’s $140,000 Gold Final.

The pair will start from Post 2, with Im Just Special getting Post 3, and Chancey Lady’s former stablemate from the Casie Coleman barn, A Fiesty Affair, starting from the advantageous Post 1.

Jiwan says he made the move from Coleman to Pentland for a number of reasons, the primary one being a mismatch in personalities. The filly captured seven of 10 starts last season, and three of five this season — including the $733,031 Fan Hanover Final — under Coleman’s tutelage, and Jiwan takes nothing away from Canada’s leading trainer, emphasising that she did a great job with Chancey Lady.

What he has found in Pentland’s smaller stable is an opportunity to feel more connected to the filly’s daily training routine and her racing strategy. Driver Saftic, who introduced Jiwan and Pentland, called the owner before the Gold Elimination and discussed the competition and all the ways that Chancey Lady might find to land in the winner’s circle.

“Mike had the courtesy to call me and talk over the race,” explains Jiwan. “I feel closer to the game when they tell you about the options. It’s a part of the game I really enjoy.”

In spite of those discussions, Jiwan says he was surprised with the way the race played out.

“Let’s put it this way, I had thought of about 15 different scenarios and that wasn’t one of them,” says the owner, with a chuckle.

With the division’s top three point earners stacked up against the rail, Jiwan and Saftic will have some interesting scenarios to review in this week’s discussion, but the long distance owner is hoping that the end result finds Chancey Lady back in the winner’s circle.

“She’s a winner, she knows how to win,” says Jiwan. “I think if she shows up, she’ll be very tough to beat.”

The clash of the three-year-old pacing fillies is slated for Race 8 on Mohawk Racetrack’s Saturday evening program, which also features one elimination for the Canadian Pacing Derby in Race 5. Post time for the talent laden card is 7:30 pm.

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