by Kimberly French, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Kimberly French

Louisville, KY — It took some time for her to break her maiden, but once Cold Mist figured out how to do her job, she showed her connections that she had more ability than they had anticipated.

“We got her last March before she ever started racing,” explained Steve Elliott, the filly’s co-owner and conditioner. “She just seemed like she could be a nice useful filly and she’d make us a nice little racehorse if nothing else. She’s turned out to be a bit better than that.”

The 3-year-old daughter of McArdle-Cold And Clear is also owned by Old Block Stables Inc. and Kenneth Klein. The filly has earned $256,816 during her 14-race career and has four wins, three second place finishes and two thirds. Cold Mist possesses a lifetime mark of 1:53.3f and captured the $200,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stake Final on September 5, 2010, at Harrah’s Chester, as well as a $105,000 division of the Bluegrass Stakes on October 15, 2010, at The Red Mile.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Cold Mist (#4) nipped Honky Tonk Woman in a time of 1:55 in last fall’s Bluegrass Stakes at The Red Mile.

The filly also finished third in the $51,500 Countess Adios at the Meadowlands on August 5, 2010, fifth in her $25,000 Breeders Crown elimination on October 1 at Pocono Downs and sixth in the $600,000 Breeders Crown final the following week. She closed out her freshman campaign with a fifth place finish in her $24,600 Matron Stakes elimination on November 6 at Dover Downs.

Cold Mist returned to the races this year with a third place finish in a $70,103 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes contest at the Meadows on May 10 and then won a $15,000 non-winners event on May 30 at Yonkers Raceway. Her next engagement is this Saturday’s $197,634 Lismore Pace (race six) at Yonkers Raceway and she will leave from post position three.

“I think she’s as good as anyone in there, but the trip is always what wins the race on a half-mile racetrack,” Elliott said.

Like many other talented fillies, Cold Mist definitely enjoys her own way.

“For the most part, she’s alright, but she’s got an ornery side to her like most women,” Elliott said. “She likes to be left alone to do her own thing and that’s pretty much all she wants. She just doesn’t like to be messed with.”

After competing in the Lismore, the filly will be pointed towards races in the Keystone State and some of the top races for her age, sex and gait.

“We are going to try and make some more money with her,” Elliott said. “She is eligible to all the PA Sire Stakes and the big filly races, but we will pick and choose our spots, and place her to make some money. She has already exceeded what we expected of her and is a nice little racehorse.”

$197,634 Lismore Final–3-year-old fillies
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer-ML
1-Honky Tonk Woman-George Brennan-Ross Croghan-8-5
2-Dreamlands Roxy-Jeff Gregory-Joe Holloway-8-1
3-Cold Mist-Ron Pierce-Steve Elliott-9-5
4-Celebrity Dollfin-Cat Manzi-Staffan Lind-12-1
5-JK Owhatanite-Jason Bartlett-Linda Toscano-5-1
6-Character Flaw-Daniel Dube-Joseph Caraluzzi-9-5
7-Block Party-Jim Pantaleano-Peter Foley-15-1