WOODSTOCK, ON — Ontario Sires Stakes excitement returns to Woodstock Raceway on Saturday afternoon with 14 Grassroots divisions for the talented three-year-old pacing fillies.
One hundred and twelve fillies will compete for a total of $210,000 in the second Grassroots event of their sophomore season. Making her first start of the year at the Grassroots level is Rod Hennessy trainee Octave Hanover, who posted a fourth-place finish in Gold Series Elimination action at Western Fair Raceway on May 22.
“Because of geographical reasons Rod decided to put her in at London rather than Belleville. And it worked out, we got a cheque,” says co-owner Jane Belore of the filly’s Gold Series appearance. “But I’ve always believed, and Rod believes, that she is a Grassroots filly.”
Octave Hanover was a consistent player on the Grassroots circuit as a two-year-old, scoring one second, three thirds and one fifth in six starts to finish just 10 points shy of a berth in the post season. The Run The Table daughter prepped for Saturday’s contest with a 1:57.4 effort over the Flamboro Downs half-mile on June 5 and will begin chasing points toward the 2004 season finale from Post 4 in Race 14.
“She grew a foot from last year, but she still gets around a half really well,” notes Belore. “She’s a good gaited, long gaited, really nice mare. She’s been a lot of enjoyment for me.”
The Salford resident acquired a share of Octave Hanover just after Hennessy purchased the filly in 2002 and has shared the pacer’s successes with daughter Crystal, who works part-time for Hennessy.
“Crystal will be paddocking her on Saturday,” says Belore, who is the Standardbred Canada representative at Woodstock. “I’ll just be cheering from the sidelines.”
In addition to the entertainment Octave Hanover has provided her owners on the racetrack, her antics at Hennessy’s Harley farm have also been a source of amusement.
“The horses spend a lot of time outside and any time there are any big holes with water in them she is the first one there,” explains Belore. “She paws and paws and rolls and rolls. She looks like some kind of hippopotamus — mud from head to foot.”
With no rain in the forecast, Octave Hanover will have to rely on her racing skills to entertain Hennessy and the Belore’s on Saturday. While looking for a smart effort from the leggy filly, driver Paul Mackenzie will have his eyes peeled for Illusionist from Post 3 who heads into the race off a 1:56.4 win over a sloppy Mohawk Racetrack surface.
The three-year-old pacing fillies are featured in all 14 races on Woodstock’s Raceway’s June 12 matinee, with the first Grassroots division parading onto the track at 1 pm.