CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — After spending almost two month battling a virus, Bill Megens is hoping that two-year-old trotting filly Mikestory is in fighting trim heading into the last three weeks of her freshman season.
The Eager Seelster daughter and her peers head to Mohawk Racetrack on Thursday evening for the first of three straight appearances at the Campbellville oval. The trotting lasses will celebrate Halloween with a trio of $31,823 Gold Series Eliminations, return on Nov. 7 for their last $130,000 Gold Final and then wrap up their provincial season on Nov. 16 in the $300,000 Super Final.
In spite of her lack of success through the middle of the season, Mikestory remains second in the point standings with one Gold Final victory and a pair of Gold Elimination wins to her credit. Another solid showing in the last two regular season events will secure her favoured status in the rich post season.
“She had been sick for a little while, but it looks like she’s getting over it now,” says the 68-year-old Megens, who bred, owns, trains and drives the talented youngster. “Hopefully she stays healthy for her next three races. She’s only got this and the Super Final, that’s all. She has a few more races next year, but I thought maybe I wouldn’t overdo it this year, being a two-year-old.”
Mikestory has gone to the post 10 times this season with five wins and three seconds to her credit. Her most recent victory came in Trillium Series action at Rideau Carleton Raceway on Oct. 18 where she deftly handled what has been a difficult racing surface for many horses this season, stopping the clock in 2:02.3.
The winner of $166,738 will make her bid for a sixth victory from Post 2 in the fourth race on Thursday and Megens is confident Mikestory will be a major player in the eight-horse race.
“She can race either way (in front or from behind) and on any kind of track. It doesn’t matter to her,” says the Troy resident.
“I always liked her from Day 1,” he adds. “When she was three months old I put a strange horse out in the paddock and she went right after it. She’s always had that spirit. She wants to race.”
The veteran horseman will return to the race bike after allowing son Mark access to the lines in the last Gold Series, Sept. 25 and Oct. 6 at Windsor Raceway. After finishing second in her elimination Mikestory made an early break in the Final that knocked her out of contention.
“I know her a little better, I’m more used to her at this stage,” he explains. “Maybe I’ll let the boys drive her next year. I turn 70 next year and I’ve got to slow down sooner or later.”
While Megens and Mikestory headline the second elimination, division leader Independent Woman and reigning Gold Final winner Wescott will lock horns in the first. The pair will line up side-by-side with Independent Woman drawing the rail and Wescott starting from Post 2.
Independent Woman will make her racing debut with trotting hopples on Thursday after making a break in stride in the Sept. 25 Elimination and in an Oct. 11 qualifier. The Ross Henry trainee qualified with the hopples on at Mohawk on Oct. 22 and finished second on a sloppy track rated two seconds slower than normal. Wescott also heads into the duel off a runner-up finish in a qualifier over a sloppy Vernon Downs on Oct. 23.
The early nod in the third elimination goes to Oakville Stakes winner Aimees Image, who competed against the best in North America in the Breeders Crown Eliminations at Woodbine Racetrack on Oct. 10, narrowly missing a berth in the Final with her fourth-place finish. Aimees Image will take aim on her third win from Post 1 in the sixth race.
Racing gets under way at 7:40 pm at Mohawk Racetrack on Halloween (Oct. 31). The richly talented two-year-old trotting fillies will do their trick-or-treating in Races 2, 4, and 6 with the top three finishers from each elimination, plus one fourth-place finisher drawn by lot, making a return trip to Campbellville on Nov. 7 for the $130,000 Gold Final.