DUNDAS, SEPT. 22, 2005 — When Highnmighty returns to Flamboro Downs for Gold Series Elimination action on Sunday, the two-year-old trotting filly faces a field of what Dr. Michael Wilson calls the most talented youngsters ever to compete in the Ontario Sires Stakes program.

“She is improving, but the competition is fierce,” says Wilson. “I think this is the best crop of two-year-old trotting fillies I can remember in Ontario.”

The Rockwood resident bred Highnmighty in partnership with Kenneth Ewen of Georgetown, and the pair share ownership on the daughter of Striking Sahbra and S J Countessa with trainer Carl Jamieson of Princeton and Thomas Kyron of Etobicoke. Wilson and Ewen sold Highnmighty to Jamieson for $46,000 at last fall’s Canadian Classic Yearling Sale, but thought enough of the youngster to buy back a share.

“I always liked the filly,” recalls Wilson. “She was a good looking filly as a yearling — she still is.”

As the filly trained down last winter reports from Jamieson were positive, if unremarkable, says Wilson.

“He always would say she was beautifully gaited and keen to go, but he never told us she was going to win the Hambletonian Oaks,” says Wilson with a dry chuckle. “He always liked her, but he never raved about her. He’s got more interested in her as she’s been racing.”

Through her last six starts the young trotter has made steady progress, logging three seconds and two thirds in stakes action and she heads into Sunday’s battle off a runner-up showing in a division of the Sept. 11 Flamboro Breeders Stake.

“She is coming into her own,” says Wilson. “Her mother was the same, a late developer. She won an elimination of the Matron and finished second in the final.

“She’s good on a half. She trained on a half all the time,” he adds. “Any advantage she has is going to be on a half.”

And Wilson admits Highnmighty will need any advantage she can gain on Sunday, when she faces off from Post 3 against a talent laden division that includes Flamboro Breeders winner Oaklea Odessa from Post 1, six time winner Pure Ivory from Post 2 and former Gold Final winner Lisas Mission from Post 4.

The top four fillies from each elimination will return to Flamboro Downs on Sunday, Oct. 2 for their fourth $130,000 Gold Final, and in addition to a berth in next week’s Final, the fillies will also be vying for Super Final points. With one second and one third to her credit through her first two Gold Series outings, Highnmighty has 37 points, just shy of the current cut off for the Top 10.

Highnmighty and her peers will battle in Races 5 and 9 on Sunday evening, with Flamboro Downs’s first race rolling up behind the starting gate at 6:20 pm.

For a complete list of entries please go to:

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/entries/data/eflmdsu.html