LONDON, OCT. 23, 2001 — The 2001 Ontario Sires Stakes season is winding down and that means that the two-year-old pacing fillies are set for one last Gold Series Elimination at London’s Western Fair Raceway on Friday, Oct. 26.

Scheduled as Races 9 and 11 on London’s Friday evening program, the provincial paces will each feature a small field of five starters battling for $50,454 in OSS purse money.

A maximum of eight starters are allowed on London’s half-mile oval for a Gold Series Final so all but two of the youngsters racing in the Eliminations this weekend will return to Western Fair Raceway for the $100,000 Gold Final on Friday, Nov. 2.

Veteran horseman Jim Ainsworth of Sarnia expects that his entry, Maddy Girl, will deliver a solid performance on Friday night and earn a spot in the Gold Final.

“In a five horse field she should finish high enough up for the Final on Nov. 2,” says the Sarnia resident, who will send Maddy Girl out from Post 1 in Race 11.

Ainsworth, who co-owns the Run The Table sired pacer with his wife Shelley Ainsworth and Martwest Racing Stable of Mississauga, says that Maddy Girl came-up sick after her last race.

“She wasn’t 100 per cent her last time out. We sent her blood out and it came back off. She’s had 10 days out on grass and I’d say that she’s about 85 per cent now,” says Ainsworth, “I think she should be back in shape for Friday.”

For Ainsworth getting Maddy Girl back into full racing form for the final weeks of the 2001 season is important. The talented two-year-old currently sits in thirdon the Gold Series division leader board, and so has already qualified for the season ending Super Final night on November 3.

“She is already eligible for the Super Final and I want to get her 100 per cent healthy for Nov. 3,” he says. “Maddy Girl also has the Canadian Breeders before the end of the season and a bit of racing around home. She is good enough for the Super Finals and I want her to be ready.”

For the Gold Elimination race this Friday evening at Western Fair, Maddy Girl will be in with tough competitors. Both Lady Graceful and Angel in Disguise, who are currently in first and second on the division leader board, will start down the rail from Maddy Girl in Posts 3 and 2 respectively.

The talented two-year-old pacing fillies will impress Western Fair fans in Races 9 and 11 on the 7:30 pm program Friday.