Ontario’s talented three-year-old pacing fillies hit the halfway mark in their Grassroots season this Friday evening at Grand River Raceway, and trainer Garth Gordon is hoping Taylorlane Fancy proves to be a fast learner after missing the first two provincial tests.
“When I started her back she had an infection in her left hind foot. That’s why she’s just getting started,” explains the Guelph resident, who shares ownership on Taylorlane Fancy with breeder Ed Taylor of Grand Valley.
Since making her sophomore debut at Mohawk Racetrack on June 11, Taylorlane Fancy has dropped two seconds off her time in three successive starts, the most recent a fourth-place finish at Mohawk on July 2. Gordon was hoping the filly would deliver at top finish at Grand River, where she scored her first lifetime victory last season, but tempered his expectations following the post position draw.
“She doesn’t wear any boots or anything and she gets around the turns pretty good, but it will be pretty tough from the eight-hole,” explains the horseman. “Anything can happen in a horse race, but it will be pretty tough.”
Stuart Sowerby will pilot Taylorlane Fancy from Post 8 in the eighth race, and Gordon would love to see the Guelph resident engineer the same sort of trip that earned a former pupil four Grassroots victories and $47,000.
“I had a filly a few years ago, Shes A Blast. Stu Sowerby used to drive her for me, and he’d always sit last with her. One night she was last turning for home and won the race,” recalls Gordon. “I’m kind of hoping this filly can do the same thing.”
While Gordon would love to see Taylorlane Fancy find success in the Grassroots program, the veteran horseman has adopted a long-term perspective on her racing career. The Modern Art daughter is the eighth foal from Taylor’s broodmare Armbro Ocala, and three of her siblings have earned more than $100,000 racing as aged horses, with Lady Lola coming in as the richest at $214,852.
“I think she’ll be a nice overnight filly down the road,” he says. “She’s a nice size filly, she’s fairly sound and she hasn’t really raced hard.”
The trainer adds that Taylorlane Fancy also has an easy-going personality and good manners, but breeder Ed Taylor recalls a moment in time when Gordon would not have expressed the same opinion.
“Garth and I have had a horse together since forever. I give him the pick of the crop and that’s the one he picked,” Taylor relates. “But the first time he went to grab her in the stall, she struck out at him with her front foot. He wasn’t sure if he wanted her or not then.”
“He had to catch her,” adds Gordon. “I went to catch her and she fired at me, so he had to go and get her for me. I wasn’t expecting that.”
Fortunately Taylorlane Fancy’s mistrust of her new handler was short-lived and she went on to post a record of two wins, one second and one third in 10 starts at two, banking $21,794. The filly will be looking to boost that total with a top five finish in the sixth of nine Grassroots divisions at Grand River Raceway on Friday.
The three-year-old pacing fillies kick off the Elora oval’s Friday evening program at 6:30 pm, with the remaining Grassroots divisions featured in Races 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11 and 12.
ENTRIES – GRAND RIVER RACEWAY GRASSROOTS – FRIDAY, JULY 10 AT 6:31 PM:
(Races detailed below are only those featuring locally owned horses. For complete entries please go to: http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/racing/entries/data/e0710grvrn.dat.)
RACE 4 $24,000
1 – Rhianne (Rambaran) N. Steward R. Bunn
2 – Cammis Most Wanted (Cammibest) J. Plante G. Howe
3 – Rose Seelster (Camluck) S. Byron J. Kopas
4 – Blueridge Betty (Modern Art) B. Forward E. Miller
5 – Ardor Locke (Million Dollar Cam) B. Watt A. Peters
Owned by Archibald and Dorothy Peters, Erin.
6 – Dance With Me Dee (Western Terror) M. Langdon T. O’Sullivan
7 – Grin A Peg (Mantacular) D. McNair G. McNair
8 – Lil Miss Nyalation (Apaches Fame) S. Coulter A. Heyman
RACE 5 $24,000
1 – Joint Effort (Modern Art) R. Fritz R. O’Neill
2 – Emerald Tartufo (Mach Three) D. Clements M. Sinclair
3 – Pantecostal (No Pan Intended) Mi. Horner Ma. Horner
4 – Twilight Katie (Rambaran) B. Belore B. Belore
5 – Terra Cotta Bay (Deamfair Vogel) K. Wallis L. Wallis
6 – Kiss The Glass (Astreos) A. Haughan J. Dean
7 – Poker Choice (Aces N Sevens) D. McNair G. McNair
Owned by David Carson, Listowel.
8 – Nora Lee (Modern Art) A. Byron G. Adair
RACE 7 $24,000
1 – Kesons Dahlia (Modern Art) R. Shepherd G. Bond
Owned by Gary Bond, Acton.
2 – Hudson Gal (Astreos) R. Shepherd T. Riley
3 – Brittle Truth (Camotion) T. Henry R. Laarman
4 – Ocean Of Motion (Your Nemesis) S. Coulter S. Gillard
5 – Escape Seelster (Modern Art) T. Henry J. Pentland
6 – Casimir Inthe Mood (Sire Luck) S. Barrington J. Barrington
7 – Notable Beauty (Western Terror) A. MacDonald A. Fair
8 – Stonebridge Breeze (Camluck) D. McNair G. McNair
RACE 8 $24,000
1 – Magic Thrills (Cammibest) S. Allard D. Fontaine
2 – Aster To Dance (Camluck) T. Henry M. Brethour
3 – Pretty Thing (Astreos) P. Mackenzie M. Steacy
4 – Twin B Nouveau (Modern Art) Br. Richardson J. Ainsworth
5 – Wild West Angel (Western Terror) Ja. Brewer D. McIntosh
6 – Mach Me Not (Mach Three) P. Mackenzie R. Fellows
7 – Wendy Can Gogh (Modern Art) N. Steward L. Fitzsimmons
8 – Taylorlane Fancy (Modern Art) S. Sowerby G. Gordon
Owned by Garth Gordon, Guelph and Edwin Taylor, Grand Valley.
9 – FBs Gal (Sir Luck) S. Zeron M. Macri
RACE 12 $24,000
1 – West Bay Cruiser (Western Terror) S. Zeron B. Lawrence
Owned by Stuart Lawrence, Elmira and Corrine Lawrence, Hanover.
2 – Slow Service (Grinfromeartoear) P. Mackenzie W. Preszcator
3 – Baranmyash (Rambaran) P. Mackenzie R. Boyd
4 – Spoiled Beach (Camluck) B. Forward P. Wellwood
5 – Keepers Destiny (Intrepid Seelster) P. Mackenzie P. Coleman
6 – Quality Goods (Astreos) P. Mackenzie M. Steacy
7 – Sauble Adelle (D M Dilinger) Br. Richardson L. Hall
8 – Full Circle Tamara (Modern Art) J. Jamieson L. Posan
For more information please contact Sandra Snyder at 519-656-2017 (Tel./Fax) or smsnyder@sentex.net.
Visit www.ontariosiresstakes.com for up to date point standings and more.
