INNISFIL, ON — Rapidly approaching the halfway mark in their Grassroots season, the top three-year-old pacing fillies are hoping to maintain their momentum when the program rolls into Georgian Downs on Tuesday, June 24.
With a track record equalling victory in her Grassroots debut at Western Fair Raceway on June 16 and a personal best score in overnight action at Mohawk Racetrack on June 22, Prairie Tracker is heading into Tuesday’s contest on a hot streak. Owned by Edward James of Aurora, the Presidential Ball daughter only arrived in Ontario two weeks ago and seems to like the air in her newly adopted province.
“I got her Thursday, June 8,” says trainer Robert Don Fellows. “She was flown out here from Edmonton, from Rod Hennessy’s stable.”
When Fellows heard that Prairie Tracker would be joining the string of horses he trains for James, he looked up her past performance record. Undefeated through four starts at two, the filly had been much less consistent since making her 2006 debut on April 9, and Fellows was concerned that she might be biting off more than she could chew in the Ontario Sires Stakes program.
“I looked at her lines and I was a little worried about her, because she shows erratic behaviour,” admits the Rockwood resident. “They were racing her a lot on the front end and she was not finishing her miles.”
Before making the trip east Prairie Tracker had recorded one second, one third, one fifth, two eighth and one ninth-place finish in six starts. A 1:58.1 qualifier the day before she boarded the plane provided an encouraging sign, but when the filly drew Post 7 for her Grassroots debut Fellows was not expecting much.
However, the filly surprised her new trainer. Seventh by 11 lengths at the :28 opening quarter, driver Paul Mackenzie sent Prairie Tracker up the outside heading for the :57.3 half. By the 1:26 three-quarters the duo had reached the front end and they were able to hang on for a quarter length decision in a track record equalling 1:56.1.
“She opened up a few lengths and almost got caught,” notes Fellows. “We chose to try the big track with her last night (Thursday) and she won, but I think we were all hoping she was a better horse than she is. She’s still a little weak finishing.”
With Mackenzie back in the race bike, Prairie Tracker carved out all the fractions at Mohawk Racetrack on June 22, reaching the wire two and three-quarter lengths ahead of the competition in 1:54.2.
Mackenzie will steer the winner of $60,480 from Post 1 in the fifth race on Tuesday and, while it is not his preference, Fellows expects to see the filly back on the front end.
“Unfortunately the way racing goes it’s kind of a front end game. Not a lot of horses can win from the back,” he says. “Hopefully she’ll get away on or near the front and hopefully she can hold on.”
Among the fillies that Prairie Tracker will face in her second provincial test are four veterans of the Grassroots program, including former division winner Easy Prey, and three fillies that started their sophomore season in the Gold Series.
Mackenzie will also pilot Calling On Angels for Edward James from Post 7 in the second race. The Puslinch resident trains Calling On Angels, who heads into her third Grassroots start with a win in the season opener at Quinte Exhibition Raceway and a seventh at Western Fair.
The three-year-old pacing fillies will compete for a total of $135,000 in Races 1 through 9 at Georgian Downs on Tuesday, with the first race going postward at 7:35 pm.
For complete entries please go to:
http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/entries/data/egeodftu.html