Photos by Tiffany Fortney
ELORA, September 27, 2023 - The 2023 Prospect Series concluded Wednesday, September 27 at Grand River Raceway, with eight $15,000 divisional finals. The card would be the last at the Elora, ON oval’s half-mile configuration, before its planned expansion to five-eighths for the 2024 meet.
Two-year-old trotting fillies opened the closing night card, with seven behind the gate for race one.
Radical Legacy and driver Travis Cullen left from post five but found themselves caught wide in the turn, with Sandoon the lead, followed by first-over Chaud Holliday. Cullen’s filly kept gaining first-up in pursuit of pacesetting Sandoon, who reached the quarter in :28.3.
Radical Legacy made front well before the :58.4 half. Sandoon now stalked the 1–5 favourite from the pocket, followed closely by Chaud Holliday, before a four-length gap back to Graceful China. Radical Legacy reached the three-quarters in 1:29.3 and held off a late move by Sandoon to claim victory in the 1:59.4 mile.
Radical Legacy (2, 1:58.2h; $12,950) remains undefeated in four Prospect Series starts for trainer Gregg McNair.
The Muscle Mass–Radical Janey filly was bred by Peter Dennis of Brantford, and Thomas Rupert and Billee Steinhoff of Simcoe, ON.
Sold for $40,000 at the 2022 London Classic Sale, she is owned by Ross and Brent Holmes of London, ON.
“She’s a really nice filly,” said Cullen. “I actually told Gregg that after the first time I drove her…She’s very mature for her age. She just trots great.”
Race three was the final for two-year-old male trotters. Poof was fastest away in the field of seven, instantly crossing over for driver Thomas Smith.
They opened up by two lengths on rivals battling three-wide for pocket position, rolling to a :29.1 quarter, followed by a :59.2 half and 1:29 three-quarters. From there, Poof lived up to his name, vanishing into the distance by an expanding five-length margin. Three Alarm Fire kept ahead of Eiffel Tower for place.
The victory was a new lifetime mark and second win for Poof (2, 1:59.3h; $23,134), a Lookslikeachpndale–Mirado colt bred by John Lago of Guelph, ON.
Trainer Jayne Walker and driver Smith, of Holland Centre, ON, share ownership of the colt, who recovered from a break for a first lifetime win in the Balanced Image final on August 26 at Hanover Raceway.
“He was really on the riggin’ when he usually isn't like that,” said Smith, recalling “lively” Poof’s maiden victory in the Balanced Image final.
Asked whether he would consider racing the colt in Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots as a three-year-old, Smith told interviewer Robert Reid Jr. he was unsure:
“After tonight, I don't know anymore. He was good tonight, really good tonight. He could’ve went around again, I think…But that’s it for him. He’s done for the year and you won't see him ‘til next year.”
In race six, the three-year-old filly trot final was scratched down to a field of six.
Savannahs Dream matched strides early with Its Sallys Deal, who broke stride coming off the first turn. April Duford followed second-over from third going to the 30.2 quarter, with 19–1 Divinne Magic following her cover around the breaker.
Savannahs Dream led by three lengths nearing the :30.2 quarter, with April Duford closing in. Divinne Magic, in rein to Travis Cullen, tipped from third to challenge at the 1:02.2 half, circling Savannahs Dream and reaching the three-quarters in 1:31.2.
On the final turn, 2–5 favourite April Duford came three-wide, running out of racetrack chasing Cullen’s filly to the wire in 2:01.3. Angelic KT closed for show.
It was the fourth lifetime win for Divinne Magic (3, 1:59.4f; $42,380), a Muscle Mass–Magic Meds filly owned by Maggie Jones and Susan Heard of Barrie, Jody Simmons of London and Philip Newfeld of Aurora, ON.
The Keith Jones trainee was bred by W G James Stables Ltd. of Blackstock and Rick Williams of Lindsay, ON.
“I felt like Bruce [Richardson’s] horse [Savannahs Dream] was kind of struggling a little bit there — not trotting, but didn’t really want to go. I thought I’d take a shot and it worked out,” said Cullen. “Just where I was sitting, I felt like I had to try it. We got lucky. I knew Tyler [Borth] was coming hard [with April Duford]. Once I got her straightened out, she was good.”
Impressive Dude lived up to 1–9 expectations in race seven, the three-year-old final for male trotters.
He left aggressively for owner/driver Louis-Philippe Roy, pulling away from Acefortyfour Elvis by five lengths coming off the first turn. Impressive Dude was comfortably in front through the :59.3 half and reached three-quarters all alone in 1:29 flat.
Fox Valley Ontario outsprinted Acefortyfour Elvis late for place, behind the going-away 1:58.3 winner.
The My MVP–Strikingimpression colt was a $17,00 purchase at the 2021 Ontario Select Sale. He was bred by Brenda Barnim of St. George Brant, ON and is co-owned by Campbellville, ON resident Roy with Michel Letarte of Boucherville and Jean Allaire of Montreal, QC. Guelph, ON resident Eric Nadeau trains the colt, a winner of six this season and nine lifetime.
In the winner’s circle, Roy reflected on the value of the Prospect Series for Ontario Sired horses.
“Even the Grassroots, they're really competitive horses that could figure in anywhere. Prospect gives them a pretty good third option. That was nice for us to have that option with that one.”
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