Three-year-old trotting fillies flocked to Mohawk Racetrack on Thursday evening as the oval offered some serious cash in a set of O.S.S. Gold Series tilts.
Sweet Of My Heart captured her $96,400 division in upset fashion over heavily favoured On A Sunny Day.
Jody Jamieson hustled Sweet Of My Heart to the lead from Post 6, and they never looked back after slicing out splits of :27.1, :57.1 and 1:26. A :29.4 closing quarter was just enough to fend off On A Sunny Day in 1:55.4. Third prize was earned by Majestic Kat.
“Jody did a good job of keeping her quiet in the post parade. Usually, as soon as she sees the starting gate, a little switch flips, and he’s been putting her right up on it and just kind of letting her get more relaxed behind it, kind of forcing her to get more relaxed behind it,” said trainer Paul Reid. “And we’ve schooled her a couple times, and he qualified her for me, and he’s been working with me so we’ve re-rigged her and right now she’s controllable, so that’s our main thing. If she’s controllable she can trot with them. Otherwise, you’ve seen what can happen when she’s not.”
Reid trains the homebred daughter of Angus Hall-Sweetheart K for owner Robert Key of Leechburg, PA. Sent off at odds of 8-1, Sweet Of My Heart improved her 2017 record to 3-0-0 from eight trips to the track. The lion’s share of the loot lifted her lifetime earnings to $207,900.
Magic Presto was sent off as the 1-9 favourite in her $95,600 division, and she didn’t disappoint her army of backers.
Trevor Henry got away third with the daughter of Kadabra-In The Mean Time while Winter Sweet Frost moved to the lead and supplied fractions of :28.1, :57.1 and 1:26.1. Magic Presto marched up first-over around the final turn, and she worked her way to the lead in the lane and scored the one-length triumph over Winter Sweet Frost in 1:55.1. Rounding out the top three finishers was Gravitator.
“Nice and handy and not too hard a run, so I was pleased with the way things worked out,” said trainer Richard ‘Nifty’ Norman. “We’ve got a really busy month coming up, so anytime you can get a relatively easy run, it’s good for everybody.
“She’s in really good shape physically, she’s carrying a lot of weight, so I’m really happy with that part of it,” Norman added. “She’s pretty laid back, and she’s a good eater; she’s a pretty happy horse, so not much worries her.”
Norman trains the photogenic filly for Mel Hartman, Herb Liverman, David Mc Duffee and Little E LLC. She now owns a 5-3-1 record from nine trips to the track this season. The nine-time winner has stashed away $755,159 to date.
(OSS)
