DUNDAS, ON — Independent Woman displayed her impressive gate speed for the second week in a row at Flamboro Downs on Saturday to capture the season opening Gold Final for the two-year-old trotting fillies.
The Royal Strength daughter and Wayne Henry rocketed from Post 2 to the front and never looked back, trotting confidently to a two length victory in 2:00.1 to equal the Ontario Sires Stakes record set by Sharise Seelster at Flamboro in 2000. Local favourites Mikestory and Bill Megens were relegated to second place from the start and Nomireatras out-sprinted Wescott and Wanabeamillionaire to earn the third-place finisher’s share of the $130,000 purse.
Ross Henry of Arthur owns and trains Independent Woman, who was a $40,000 acquisition at the Canadian Classic Yearling Sale last fall. Henry has purchased and trained the last five offspring of the filly’s dam Witsends Robin. Three of those, Independent Lassie, Independent Lad and Independent Dame, were regular competitors on the Ontario Sires Stakes circuit and boast total earnings to date of $552,887.
The trotting specialist is hoping that Independent Woman can aid him in a bid for a fourth Johnston Cup Ontario Sires Stakes training title, which he won each from 1997 to 1999.
Mikestory was such an overwhelming favourite of the Flamboro fans that Independent Woman went off as the sixth longest shot on the board in spite of her convincing victory in the elimination round. As a result she returned a hefty $22.70 to win, $7.70 to place and $4.80 to show. Mikestory was worth $2.90 to place and $2.40 to show and Nomireatras returned $5.50. The 2 – 4 exactor was worth $56.00 and the triactor was a $434.10 pay out.
Independent Woman will put her Gold title on the line at Woodbine Racetrack on July 29, and many of the fillies are expected to make the trip to Hanover Raceway on July 20 for their second Trillium Series event.
Ontario Sires Stakes excitement returns to Flamboro Downs on Friday, Aug. 2 with Gold Eliminations for the impressive two-year-old pacing fillies.