Clean sweep for Kadabra in Gold Series

Ontario's elite trotting fillies continued to impress fans as they battled in their third Gold Series event at the harness racing meeting at Mohawk Racetrack on Tuesday evening.

More than half of the fillies entered in the trio of $70,000 Gold divisions were sired by Kadabra and when the evening was over, all three trophies had been awarded to daughters of North America's leading trotting sire.

Starting the sweep was Ready Any Time, who sprinted out of the back field to catch heavy favourite Caprice Hill in the stretch, halting the Mohawk teletimer at 1:56.4.

Bested by one-half length, Caprice Hill settled for second and Krafty finished third, three and three-quarter lengths behind the leaders.

All three fillies are by Kadabra.

"It didn't really surprise me, I know this filly is a good filly," said driver Rick Zeron of the upset.

"She was scratched her last start because she was sick, and the start before that she was second, Sylvain Filion, Luc Blais' trotting filly (Emoticon Hanover) nailed her at the wire up at Georgian Downs in 1:56.3."

Oakville, ON resident Zeron drives Ready Any Time for New Jersey-based trainer Richard "Nifty" Norman, who felt the filly was back to herself after the bout of sickness, but expected her to be a bit shy of peak fitness after three weeks away from the racetrack.

"I took her off the gate and let her settle," said Zeron, who lined up behind the number 5 on the Mohawk starting gate.

"And when I moved her coming down the stretch, boy… well I didn't have to pull the plugs until halfway down the stretch."

"Halfway down the stretch I knew I had (Tim) Tetrick dialed in and then this trotting filly just trotted right on by."

"Nifty's done a great job with her," added Zeron.

"He's always been high on this filly and she showed it tonight."

The win was Ready Any Time's first in three starts and bumped her earnings to $49,805.

A $62,000 purchase from the Harrisburg Yearling Sale, the filly is owned by Melvin Hartman of Ottawa, breeder Herb Liverman of Miami Beach, FL, David McDuffee of Delray Beach, FL and Little E LLC of New York, NY.

"The connections of all these horses, I can't say enough about them," said Zeron.

"They enjoy the sport and they like to see the sport, the racing, going forward and they do the best they can to keep it going forward by using their own broodmares and breeding horses to keep this industry alive."

"They do a great job those guys."

The second Gold division saw Sylvain Filion and Emoticon Hanover pick up their second win of the season after missing three weeks due to sickness.

The duo cruised home four and one-quarter length winners in 1:58.2, besting Devils Advocate (Manofmanymissions) and High Heels (Kadabra).

Milton, ON resident Filion pilots Emoticon Hanover for trainer Luc Blais of Lochaber Ouest, QC and owner Determination of Montreal, QC, who offered up $165,000 for the daughter of Kadabra and Emmylou Who at last fall's Harrisburg Sale.

The talented youngster was also a winner in the Gold Series season opener at Georgian Downs on July 12, where she caught Ready Any Time in the stretch and hit the wire in 1:56.3.

The final division also saw a repeat performance from a July 12 winner.

Could It Be Magic and trainer-driver Wayne Henry fired directly to the front from Post 4 and never faced a challenge, rolling under the wire three and one-quarter lengths ahead of Levitator (Kadabra) and Northern Sweetie (Deweycheatumnhowe).

Arthur, ON resident Henry shares ownership of the Kadabra-In The Mean Time daughter with Fred Brayford of Alliston, ON.

The partners acquired Could It Be Magic for a relatively modest $18,000 from the Harrisburg Yearling Sale.

Through four starts the filly has tallied three wins and one fifth for earnings of $71,750.

With her win, Could It Be Magic jumped into second spot in the division standings with 105 points, 20 behind leader Caprice Hill.

Devils Advocate and Emoticon Hanover share third spot with 100 points and Ready Any Time rounds out the top five with 75 points.

The two-year-old trotting fillies make their fourth Gold Series start at Georgian Downs on August 15.

Ontario Sires Stakes action continues at Mohawk Racetrack on Friday, Aug. 7 with three Gold Series divisions for the two-year-old trotting colts.

The colts will battle in Races 1, 2 and 6 on the 7:25 pm program with Race 1 featuring the debut of Bee A Magician half-brother Bee In Charge from Post 2.

Ontario Horse Racing

Video

Oakville resident Rick Zeron and two-year-old trotting filly Ready Any Time catch favourites Tim Tetrick and Caprice Hill in the stretch to win their August 4 Gold division at Mohawk Racetrack in 1:56.4. https://youtu.be/EmC92wrMi9M