Keystone Kalimba gave her connections a solid first impression with a well-rated effort in her first qualifier. With Jody Jamieson at the controls, Keystone Kalimba left sharply and took the field to the opening quarter in :31.1, yielded to In Land Beach (Mario Baillargeon) through a 1:02.1 half and then came back out to reclaim the lead through a 1:31.1 third panel. A :28 final quarter sealed the deal for a three-plus length victory in 1:59.1. Martinis Place (Sylvain Filion) closed well for second over In Land Beach.
A $45,000 Harrisburg purchase, Keystone Kalimba (Bettors Delight - Keystone Kismet) is trained by David Menary for his Menary Racing along with Michael Guerriero of Brampton, Ont., Alan Alber of Thornhill, Ont. and Shawn Gillespie of Lucan, Ont.
Massive Flirt toyed with her foes in the second qualifier of the morning. Driver Jody Jamieson had the trotting filly forwardly played early, hitting the opening quarter in :31.3 with a sizable advantage on her rivals. Canadian Titan (Sylvain Filion) closed that gap through a 1:02.1 half and 1:32.1 third station, but could not keep up with the temposetter in the stretch. Jamieson and Massive Flirt gave their counterparts the slip, pulling away with a :28.2 final quarter to trip the timer up by more than seven lengths in 2:00.3. Canadian Titan and Enjoyin My Life (Mario Baillargeon) completed the top trio.
Trained by Jeff Gillis, Massive Flirt (Muscle Mass - Frosty Flirt) is a homebred owned by Gillis along with Mc Nichol of Burlington. Ont.
Rockadero was a pocket-popping powerhouse in the third baby race of the morning. Jonathan Drury had the debuting trotter sitting second as Fox Valley Shazam (Mario Baillargeon) fronted the field of fillies through fractions of :31.4, 1:03.1 and 1:33. Drury angled the filly into the two path in the stretch and she responded accordingly, unleashing a :28.4 final quarter to win by more than five and stop the clock in 2:02.1. Fox Valley Shazam stayed for second over SOS Playhard (Sylvain Grenier).
Carmen Auciello trains Rockadero (Muscle Mass - Early Secret) a sister to former WEG open class performer Windsong Geant. The filly is owned by Bedrock Stables of Stouffville, Ont.
Bold N Sporty made every call a winning one in the fourth qualifier of the morning. Drive Jody Jamieson positioned the pacing filly on the front early, carved out fractions of :31.2, 1:01.4 and 1:30.1 and then paced home in :28.3 to withstand a late bid from Southwind Bayou (Louis-Philippe Roy) for the 1:58.4 speed badge. Mouth Watering (Trevor Henry) was another four lengths back in third.
A homebred owned by Holland Racing Stable of Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ont., Bold N Sporty is trained by David Menary. The daughter of Sportswriter is the first foal from OSS graduate Murrayfield.
Intense Justice made her second appearance of the season a winning one during the fifth qualifier of the morning. Chris Christoforou patiently guided the trotting filly through the mile, positioning her in a loose pocket behind temposetter Rose Run Versatile (Anthony MacDonald), allowing Credits Celebrity (Wayne Henry) to overtake them and sit third through the final turn before right-lining in the stretch and blowing by those rivals to hit the wire more than a length to the good in 2:01. Rose Run Versatile and Credits Celebrity finished second and third, respectively.
Trained by Dany Fontaine, Intense Justice (Justice Hall - Intense America) is a homebred owned by Ecurie Gaetan Bono of Montreal, Que. The filly is a full-sister to 2019 OSS Gold winner Only For Justice.
After winning at first asking earlier this month stateside, Alicorn made her Canadian debut a successful one with a pocket-popping score in the sixth qualifier. Louis-Philippe Roy allowed Play Lady Play (Jonathan Drury) to cut the mile through the first three fractions (:32.2, 1:02.1, 1:30.4) and then picked off that rival late to score by two lengths in 1:58.4. Martinique Beach (Paul MacDonell) grabbed third.
A full-sister to open class performer and near millionaire Medusa, Alicorn (Bettors Delight - Mythical) is owned by Windermere Stable LLC of New York, N.Y. and Robert Muscara of Ivyland, Penn. Chantal Mitchell handles the Canadian conditioning for the $30,000 Harrisburg yearling purchase.
Goddess De Vie made good on her first appearance with a late-closing score in the seventh qualifier of the morning. Driver Doug McNair settled the filly into second behind Haven Seelster (Keith Jones) through the :30.3 and 1:01 first fractions, and then slipped to third as Spirit Of Deo (Anthony MacDonald) brushed from fourth to first in the third quarter, reached in 1:30.4. In the stretch, Spirit Of Deo drifted out while leading, allowing Goddess De Vie a clear lane in the two path. In the final strides, and perhaps calling on divine intervention, 'Goddess' got up to trip the timer just before 'Spirit' in 2:01, with Haven Seelster staying for third.
Gregg McNair trains Goddess De Vie (E L Titan - On Broadway De Vie), a $42,000 Harrisburg yearling purchase of 2019 Hall of Fame inductee Ian Fleming of Londesborough, Ont.
Need Ur Opinion will get top marks from her connections after a solid performance in her debut to win the eighth baby race of the morning. James MacDonald asked her for speed early, and she responded to lead the field to the first fraction in :30.3. Perhaps bothered by the shadow in the first turn, she put in some steps but MacDonald kept her controlled and she quickly regained composure. The lead, however, was short-lived as Poto Hanover (Randy Waples) was sent from third for the front and got there to hit the half in :59.4 and third station in 1:30.1. The tightly-grouped field looked poised to pounce in the stretch, and they did as Need Ur Opinion and Rare Jimstone (Sylvain Filion) fanned out to pressure the pacesetter. Both Need Ur Opinion and Rare Jimstone cleared the leader, with Need Ur Opinion the swiftest home to trip the timer in 1:58.4, up by two on Rare Jimstone with Twin B Lush (Travis Henry) third.
Kevin McMaster trains Need Ur Opinion (Warrawee Needy - Opinionated) for breeder Matthew Chapple of Chatham, Ont., who co-owns with Thestable Need Ur Opinion of Guelph, Ont.
Thinkingofyoubabe did all the work in the ninth qualifier and earned a sharp speed badge for her efforts. Jody Jamieson positioned the pacing filly on the front, managed sensible fractions of :30.2, 1:00.3 and 1:30.1 before sprinting home in :27.4 to win in 1:58 ahead of Got Power (Chris Christoforou) and Satdnite Jukebox (Jonathan Drury).
Ted MacDonell trains Thinkingofyoubabe (Thinking Out Loud - Goodnewsbabe) a homebred owned by Len Gamble of Etobicoke, Ont.
A four-across finish in the tenth qualifier of the morning went to pacing filly Karma Seelster, who sat the pocket behind Ms Brampton Beast (Mario Baillargeon) through the majority of the mile before driver Doug McNair found a seam up the rail in the stretch to win in 1:59.3. Ms Brampton Beast stayed for second over Watch Me Boogie (Jody Jamieson) and Even Louder (Trevor Henry).
Trained by Gregg McNair, Karma Seelster (Sportswriter - Kiddie Cocktail) was a $127,000 London Selected Yearling purchase of 'The Master' Keith Waples, who co-owns with his wife Eileen Waples and his daughter Karen Hauver of Durham, Ont. The filly is a sister to open class stakes winner Kendall Seelster.
Brinys A Flirt was in no hurry early in the eleventh qualifier but she saved her speed for when it counted to cruise on by fraction-setting Ms Mischief Maker (Anthony MacDonald) for the 2:03 victory in her first on-track appearance. Ms Mischief Maker and Lucky Witch (Doug McNair) completed the top trio.
Jody Jamieson engineered the win behind Brinys A Flirt for trainer Susie Kerwood and breeder-owner Terry Devos. The filly is daughter of Holiday Road out of the popular and talented millionaire trotting mare Snazzy Millie.
After an impressive debut one week ago, Free Flyin Ticket showed that initial mile was no fluke. Driver Jonathan Drury had the pacing filly in third early behind Gucci Eyepatch (Chris Christoforou), who fronted the field through a :30.1 first quarter, then issued marching orders and sent her first-over to clear through a sharp :58.3 half. The back half of the mile was just as brisk as Free Flyin Ticket clicked off a 1:26.3 third panel before closing the mile with a :28.2 quarter to win by some six lengths in 1:55. Lainie Hanover (Randy Waples) and Alexa Skye (Dr. Ian Moore) went next across the wire.
A $36,000 London Selected Yearling Sale purchase by trainer Anthony Beaton, Free Flyin Ticket (Betterthancheddar - Free Ticket) is owned by Beaton along with co-owners David Mercer of Sydney, N.S., Gary Volpe of St Thomas, Ont. and George Quartarone of Claremont, Ont.
A second-over tow allowed Trafalgar to close from off the pace and connect in her first try to conclude Friday's qualifying session. Driver Louis-Philippe Roy followed Look N Fabulous into the stretch and then paced home fastest of all to stop the clock in 1:58.1. Kit (Dr. Ian Moore) finished second after fronted the field through the middle half, with Classica (Doug McNair) closing well for third.
Trafalgar (Dali - Real Heart) was a private purchase by The Stable from Pedigree Farm. Harry Poulton handles the training.
After Friday's filly-filled session, the colts will take the stage on Saturday with 15 baby races booked for the boys.