from the Ontario Sires Stakes

Dundas, ON — Adding trotting hobbles to Devil’s Advocate’s equipment bag paid immediate dividends for trainer Jack Darling and driver Ron Waples as the filly rocketed around Flamboro Downs to a track and Ontario Sires Stakes record during the Dundas oval’s OSS celebration on Sunday (Sept. 27).

In spite of a recall that delayed the start of the first $78,750 Gold division, Devil’s Advocate kept her mind on her job and led the field of 2-year-old trotting fillies through fractions of :28.3, :58.1 and 1:28 on her way to the record setting 1:57.4 result. Magical Wonder finished three lengths behind Devil’s Advocate in second and One Too Many was six more lengths back in third.

“The funny thing is, she really wasn’t very relaxed warming up, she was kind of back to her old self, but we snugged up the hobbles a little bit and she was fine,” said Darling, who also owns the filly. “It’s all really a testament to Ron Waples. He’s been working for me for a while and that’s his baby. He just knows her inside and out, trains her and drives her, and it’s all working out pretty good.”

Darling said Waples kept Devil’s Advocate calm during the delay by walking her around on the grass in the center of the racetrack, but as soon as the starter called the fillies back to the gate she was raring to go.

“He had her on the grass there trying to keep her calm, walking around, and she was fine, and then they called her to the gate again and geez she goes right up in the air a couple times just like ‘Hi-Ho Silver,’” said the trainer. “She got behind the gate and then she was fine the rest of the way.”

The impressive mile obliterated the Ontario Sires Stakes record of 1:59.2 set by Miss Aultsville at Grand River Raceway in 2013 and the Flamboro Downs record of 1:59.3 set by Birminghim in 2005 and matched by Charmed Life in 2012.

Through eight freshman starts Devil’s Advocate now boasts two Gold Series wins and three seconds for earnings of $103,294.

Sunday’s win moved her into a tie for top spot in the 2-year-old trotting filly division standings with 175 points. The Manofmanymissions daughter will make her next start in the Oct. 10 Super Final and, if she continues to behave, also has the Breeders Crown on her calendar.

“I think it’s about two weeks to the Super Final, so that works out good, and then after that, if all goes well, we’ve still got the Breeders Crown,” said Darling. “The best fillies this year are Ontario sired, the best in North America, and I just think she’s one of them, so hopefully we get a chance to find out.”

Like Devil’s Advocate, Levitator made her debut with trotting hobbles at Flamboro on Sunday and, like Devil’s Advocate, she emerged victorious from the second Gold division.

Starting from post four, Levitator was eased off the starting gate by driver Trevor Henry and watched from third as High Heels led the field to a :29 opening quarter and :59.3 half. Heading for the 1:29.4 three-quarters Henry sent Levitator up the outer lane and the filly sailed home to a 1-1/2 length victory in 1:59.4. Las Vegas Seelster trotted into second and High Heels was 8-3/4 lengths back in third.

The win was the first in four starts for Levitator, who is trained by Richard “Nifty” Norman for Melvin Hartman, Herb Liverman, David McDuffee and Little E LLC. The daughter of Kadabra and She’sa Priority is a full sister to $869,608 winner Prestidigitator and was a $120,000 purchase from the 2014 Harrisburg yearling sale.

With one win and one second in Gold Series action, Levitator accumulated 75 points, good enough for eighth spot in the division standings and a berth in the Oct. 10 Super Final at Woodbine Racetrack.

Flamboro Downs wraps up its 2015 Ontario Sires Stakes schedule on Thursday evening with the last Gold Series events for the 2-year-old pacing colts and 3-year-old pacing fillies.