by Jeff Renton, media/communications, the Woodbine Entertainment Group

Toronto, ON — It’s ironic that trainer Antonio Valente left the pony business over 30 years ago to focus on harness racing because it is a ponyesque filly who will be representing his stable during Monday evening’s C$25,000 opening leg of the Princess Pacing Series at Woodbine.

“She’s very small, just like a pony, but she’s got a big heart and just flies,” Valente said of his student, Allamerican Dove.

After racing well last season, the smallish Western Ideal bay has come back in fine form so far this year. The career winner of four races will join 10 other three-year-old fillies -– who were non-winners of C$50,000 in 2004 -– in Monday’s fifth dash, which holds an estimated post time of 9:04 p.m.

Due to The Score Television Network’s coverage of the NBA playoffs Monday evening, Race Night on The Score will not air the series’ opening leg. The C$25,000 second leg on May 9 and the C$95,500 (est.) final on May 16 will be aired when the broadcast schedule returns to normal.

With his filly having made the trek from his Quebec-based stable, located 15 minutes from Montreal, Valente is hoping Allamerican Dove will be heard from in the final, let alone in the upcoming opening leg.

“In her first race back she was perfect,” Valente said, referring to a third place finish at Hippodrome de Montreal on April 15 where she finished one and a quarter lengths in arrears, pacing in 1:56.3. “I told the driver not to push her too much, seeing as though it was her first start. She ended up going in 1:56 and change and I really didn’t think it (the mile) would be that fast.”

During her second start of 2005 -– on April 22 at Hippodrome de Montreal -– the career winner of four dashes came calling from fifth before the half and powered to a one and a half length victory in a sparkling 1:53.3.

“Last week I told her driver not to go in front and she still ended up going in 1:53,” said Valente, 62. “I was a little mad with my driver, but it was just one of those things.”

Allamerican Dove’s driver, who will again be in the bike on Monday, is Mario Lachance, nephew of Hall of Famer Mike Lachance and cousin of both Patrick Lachance and Luc Ouellette.

“She was perfect last year,” Valente said of the Ferme Brodeur-owned filly, who raced to a 3-3-0 record and $36,415 in earnings last year from nine starts. “I think she could have won all of her races, but she got hurt a little bit. We raced her until November and then we shut her down because that is when the stakes season ends over here.

“I stopped with her for a couple of months and then I started back with her in January. She got a little longer, but she didn’t put on too much weight.”

According to Valente, who currently has six horses in training, Allamerican Dove arrived in Ontario on Sunday, April 24. The filly is expected to compete in the Princess and then go back to Quebec for upcoming stakes tilts.

The complete field is as follows:

PP – Horse – Driver – Trainer – Line
1 – Jewel Of The Mile – J. Jamieson – K. Parrish – 15-1
2 – Cavetta Hanover – R. Zeron – R. Laarman – 8-1
3 – Belovedangel – J. Moiseyev – R. McIntosh – 3-1
4 – Caitlin Hall – Ra. Waples – J. Kay – 20-1
5 – Ifyoucouldcwhati C – L. Ouellette – W. Elliott – 9-2
6 – Best Penny – D. Ackerman – D. Ackerman – 20-1
7 – Bound For Glory – C. Christoforou – T. O’Sullivan – 5-1
8 – Northern Jade – Ma. MacDonald – A. White – 8-1
9 – Allamerican Dove – M. Lachance – A. Valente – 7-1
10 – Artists Eye – Ph. Hudon – B. MacDonald – 10-1
11 – Kg Delight – Do. Brown – Do. Brown – 8-1