Campbellville, ON --- Two weeks after Thatsoveryverynice lowered the Ontario Sires Stakes record at Mohawk Racetrack, the 2-year-old pacing fillies returned to the Campbellville oval for their second Gold Series event and delivered another set of impressive performances.
Kicking off the Monday evening program, the first $53,900 division saw L A Delight make a successful transition from the Grassroots to the Gold Series with a 1:53.2 victory. The filly made her Ontario Sires Stakes debut in the Grassroots season opener at Mohawk on July 9, where she romped to a 1:54.1 win.
With Randy Waples in the race bike, L A Delight sailed away from post one and landed third on the rail, watching pacesetter Free Show roll through fractions of :27.2, :57.1 and 1:25.3. When Kays Shadow stalled in the outer lane around the final turn, there was ample room for Waples to move L A Delight into an open path and the filly accelerated away to a 2-1/4 length win over Free Show and a hard closing Big White Pearl.
Hall of Fame horseman Bob McIntosh conditions L A Delight for his partners C S X Stables and Al McIntosh Holdings Inc. The trio also bred the daughter of Bettor's Delight and West Of L A, who is a sister to $1.9 million winner Thinking Out Loud. From three racing age foals West Of L A has already produced $612,972 winner Somewhere In L A.
Thatsoveryverynice made her second Gold Series appearance from post one in Monday’s second race and driver Jody Jamieson crafted a trip similar to the one that led to the July 6 track record. Easing off the gate the heavy favorites sat sixth through the :27.1 quarter clocked by Stonebridge Pearl. Heading by the :56.3 half Jamieson tipped Thatsoveryverynice into the outer lane behind Twenty Three Red and waited for the top of the stretch to ask the filly for top gear.
Thatsoveryverynice sprinted home to a three-quarter length victory in 1:53.3 over Maniana, with Twenty Three Red another length back in third.
“She was my top filly all winter and I’m pleased she’s living up to my expectations,” said Tony Alagna, who bought the filly as a weanling in the summer of 2013 -- along with her mother, $286,024 winner Fox Valley Zena -- and sold a share to Marvin Katz following the 1:51.2 OSS track record mile.
“I trained the mare when I worked for Erv Miller,” noted Alagna. “Marvin Katz is my new owner on the filly, buying half interest in her after her last start. I’m pleased to have him as a partner, as we will plan on keeping her as a future broodmare.”
Thatsoveryverynice, a daughter of first year sire Vintage Master, will now enjoy almost a month of vacation time before the third Gold Series event at Georgian Downs on Aug. 15.
“We’ll give her an easy schedule and qualify her back before the next Gold,” said Alagna.
Twin B Thong may also be getting a vacation after trainer Casie Coleman felt she was not at her best in winning Monday’s third Gold division.
“I’m never going to complain about a win, but I believe this filly could be Grand Circuit, and she should have won easier, I thought,” said Coleman following the filly’s 1:53 victory. “I’m going to scope her and check, but the first two I raced tonight came up a bit sick.”
In addition to Twin B Thong, Coleman started Southwind Shania and Three Dreams, who finished fifth in the first and second divisions, respectively.
Starting from post five, driver Chris Christoforou landed Twin B Thong in the fourth spot and watched Vintage Babe reach the opening quarter in :27. Heading by the :56.1 half Christoforou sent Twin B Thong after the lead and she was one length on top by the 1:24.1 three-quarters. Through the stretch Twin B Thong repelled a challenge from Thisorthat Hanover to secure her second Gold Series trophy. Thisorthat Hanover finished 1-1/4 lengths back in second and Bernadette completed the top three.
“I’m very happy with her, but I just thought Chris had to chase her more than I would like tonight, after giving her a perfect steer,” added Coleman, who shares ownership of the Sportswriter-Beach Bound daughter with her partners in West Wins Stable, Mac Nichol and Steve Calhoun.