by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — Rick Zeron expects a strong performance from I Jasmin in Saturday’s C$374,000 Peaceful Way Stakes for 2-year-old filly trotters at Mohawk Racetrack, but believes the best is yet to come.

“You’re going to hear a lot from her — and if everything goes well over the winter — you’re going to hear more about her next year,” Zeron said. “You’re going to hear a lot more.”

Zeron has trained I Jasmin for nearly two months and drove the filly in her first three races. Last Thursday, with Zeron’s son Scott at the lines, I Jasmin was one of three Peaceful Way elimination winners, along with Danica Hall and Grammas Girl, capturing her division by one length over Reflection Hanover in 1:57.1.

New Image Media photo

Scott Zeron steered I Jasmin to a 1:57.1 score in a Peaceful Way elimination at Mohawk.

It was I Jasmin’s first victory in four starts, although with a little luck the daughter of Muscle Mass-Orillia Seelster might have visited the winner’s circle a week earlier.

On Aug. 29 in a division of the Champlain Stakes at Mohawk, the elder Zeron and I Jasmin were trapped in traffic and unable to find room until late in the race. I Jasmin trotted home in :27.2, but finished third behind Riveting Rosie and Scream And Shout in a 1:55.3 mile.

“Unfortunately I didn’t get what I wanted in the Champlain, but she still raced extremely well for me, which I was quite happy with,” Zeron said. “I got jammed up, but she was huge at the end. I just couldn’t get going to where I wanted to go, but she was huge for me.

“Scott had seen that, so he knew what kind of horse we had going into this (elimination).”

I Jasmin is owned by British Columbia’s Ming Siu, who bred the filly with Yves Blouin. I Jasmin qualified once for Siu in June, but went off stride. She was sent to Zeron, and after enduring some growing pains, was ready for action in August.

“She was a little on the hot side when I first got her and had a few issues bothering her, but we’ve got that all taken care of,” Zeron said. “I told the owner I had to be a little more careful with her to make sure everything was OK so we could get our job done. She’s 2 years old, she’s a filly, she gets excited. She just wants to get everything done quickly and then call it a day.

“We’ve got that calmed down and harnessed the power. I know exactly how fast she can go and when she can go. She just does everything I ask her to. And she does everything perfectly.”

In her Peaceful Way elim, Scott Zeron waited patiently in sixth place with I Jasmin before unleashing a :27.4 final quarter-mile to erase a 6-1/4 length deficit and win going away.

“She’s pretty versatile and I could have just easily spoken to her to leave, but I wanted to take my time,” Scott Zeron said following the win. “I got to watch her (in her previous start) when she got locked in and she was climbing over them at the wire in a (1):56 mile, so (this) wasn’t too tough on her.”

Scott Zeron, who was driving I Jasmin because Rick Zeron was at Vernon Downs, will be at the lines again in the Peaceful Way final.

“He said he looked forward to watching me race her on Saturday, but I told him he got her there, he can drive her in the final,” Rick Zeron said. “He’s an outstanding driver. The old man can sit off to the side and watch the young fella. I don’t have a problem with that.

“I think she’s going to give Scott a really good drive on Saturday. She’s on point; she’s peaking at the right time. I think if everything goes well we could turn the page and get our picture taken. I’m looking for big things from her coming into this week.”

And beyond.

Following is the Peaceful Way field with listed drivers and trainers: 1. Game On Hanover, Sylvain Filion, Dustin Jones; 2. I Jasmin, Scott Zeron, Rick Zeron; 3. Danica Hall, Trevor Ritchie, Doug McIntosh; 4. Grammas Girl, Randy Waples, Brad Maxwell; 5. Riveting Rosie, Paul MacDonell, John Bax; 6. Reflection Hanover, Jody Jamieson, Jeff Gillis; 7. Scream And Shout, Jimmy Takter, Takter; 8. Serendipitious, Jody Jamieson, Carl Jamieson; 9. Toughs Legacy, Ron Pierce, Nifty Norman; 10. White Becomes Her, Mario Baillargeon, Benoit Ballargeon.