by Karen Briggs, WEG media

Toronto, ON — An ever-improving Blue Mist hopes to leave her competition in a snowbank in this Thursday’s (Jan. 17) C$42,800 final of the Blizzard Pacing Series for 3- and 4-year-old fillies and mares.

The homebred filly will have her work cut out for her, leaving from post position number nine. She’s enjoyed inside posts in the first two legs, resulting in a second in the opener and a win last week.

Trainer Blair Burgess acknowledges, “She’s going to be up against it. She’s better off easing in than leaving from the gate, because she can be a little hot and a little grabby. Our strategy is basically going to be to try and keep her relaxed in the warm-up, and play it by ear.”

Burgess says Blue Mist “was a decent filly last year, early, but then she got sick. She had to spend some time at the University of Guelph for a colic issue. She didn’t end up having surgery, but she was on IV fluids for a while. She came out of it okay, but she missed a lot of training time.

“She’s bred the same way as Tell All,” he adds. “She’s by Real Desire out of an Albatross mare, and they’re similar in appearance. She’s got talent, it’s just that her manners are a little bit suspect. But when she was second two weeks ago, that was a big mile in really poor conditions.

“I couldn’t say she’s going to be a superstar, but you never know. At this time last year, Tell All was racing in these same series. We’ll plan to put her in the next series, the Miss Vera Bars, and then possibly the Princess after that.”

Blue Mist may show us what she’s made of on Thursday night. Catch the final of the Blizzard Pacing Series, race seven, at 9:24 p.m. (EST).