HANOVER, ON — Hanover Raceway fans get their third dose of Ontario Sires Stakes excitement this Saturday when eight divisions of three-year-old trotting fillies battle in Grassroots action.
Making her debut in the provincial program is Mark Etsell trainee Joyful Day, who will start from the advantageous Post 1 in the eighth race.
“We were late getting her started and we weren’t going to put her in a Grassroots right away,” explains the Hanover resident. “She’s coming along, she’s been grinding out some money, so hopefully she does all right and doesn’t embarrass herself or anyone else.”
Etsell trains and drives the Royal Strength daughter for his partners Robert Newton of Walkerton and Larry Clements of Listowel. The trio acquired Joyful Day earlier this year from Doug Arthur, and in the nine starts since her May 17 debut she has recorded one win, four seconds and three thirds racing at Elmira and Hanover.
“She’s one of those ones that just goes where everybody else goes,” says Etsell. “And she’s had, not so much bad luck, but different luck. She was positioned to win the other night (Aug. 2) and the horse in front of her made a break, and the horse beside her made a break.”
As long as she does not run into any traffic trouble on Saturday evening, Joyful Day’s performance will give Etsell an opportunity to determine which direction her career should go for the remainder of the summer. The three-year-old trotting fillies fourth Grassroots event takes place Sept. 1 and Joyful Day will have to earn her ride to Dresden Raceway.
“She’s a big filly, she’ll definitely be better on a bigger track,” he says. “But this way we might know whether or not to go to Dresden. She’s developing some gate speed, so hopefully we can get her spotted.”
Joyful Day landed a tough assignment for her Grassroots debut; among the fillies she will face in Saturday’s eighth race is last season’s Ontario Sires Stakes champion Independent Woman. After struggling in the Gold Series this season, Independent Woman will tackle the Grassroots fillies from Post 4. Independent Woman is one of four sophomore trotting fillies Arthur trainer Ross Henry will harness at Hanover on Saturday.
Among the other fillies Hanover Raceway fans will have their eye on is division leader Designable, who will be looking for her third straight Grassroots victory from Post 5 in the fifth race.
Hanover Raceway sends its first race into the starter’s hands at 7:20 pm on Saturday and the three-year-old trotting fillies are featured in Races 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10.