by Sandra Snyder, for the Ontario Sires Stakes

Campbellville, ON — When the 2-year-old pacing fillies grace Mohawk Racetrack’s oval with their presence on Monday, July 16, trainer James Dean is hoping Shake That Junk will live up to her name and shimmy down the stretch to a top three finish.

In her first three appearances at the Campbellville oval the daughter of Camluck and Diamond Dawn laid down a trio of sub :28 last quarters, the most recent in an overnight event on July 9 where she sprinted home in :27.2 to finish third in the 1:56.1 mile.

“That was a good race,” says Dean. “She finished up the mile good, I think they charted her in :27.2. Jody (Jamieson) was real happy with her.

“She just likes to finish her mile up,” adds the Campbellville resident. “The further you went in a mile the more keen she got, that’s just the way she’s been.”

Dean admits that the July 9 race was a test to see how Shake That Junk stacked up against some of her 2-year-old peers. Since hanging out his solo shingle three years ago, Dean has not started a horse in the first 2-year-old event of the season, so he wanted to be sure Shake That Junk was Gold Series material.

“I wanted to try and get a race into her to see if she was good enough to enter in the Sires Stakes,” says the horseman. “We’ve been lucky with her, she’s never been sick, never had any soundness issues, we’ve never had to give her any time off.

“She was a real easy filly to break, a little on the lazy side, but not that bad.”

While she is easy to work with on the track, Shake That Junk has presented a few more challenges around the barn. Dean says the filly has a decidedly mean streak when it comes to people who rub her the wrong way.

“She doesn’t bother me or the girl that works with her,” he explains. “But sometimes when she’s standing on the cross ties, certain people she doesn’t like, she’ll run at them with her mouth open.”

Dean shares ownership on Shake That Junk with driver Jody Jamieson, who makes his home in Cambridge, Dr. David Powell of Campbellville and P. And J. Stable of Mississauga. The partners acquired the well-bred youngster from last fall’s Harrisburg Yearling Sale, offering up a winning bid of $72,000 to halter the half-sister to $236,278 winner Western Maverick.

“We were looking for a Camluck,” recalls Dean. “I liked her because she was the first Camluck out of that mare, and the mare’s had some good horses.”

While Shake That Junk commanded the highest price at last fall’s yearling sales, she is not the only filly in Monday’s elimination round that boasts a sterling pedigree. Kim’s Intended, who will start from post six in the second race, is a daughter of No Pan Intended and O J Almahurst and has three half-siblings with earnings over $600,000.

To begin making their own mark on the world, both fillies will need a top three finish on Monday. Only the top three finishers, plus one fourth place finisher selected by random draw, earn a return ticket to Mohawk for the July 23 Gold Final.

Mohawk Racetrack sends its first race out behind the starting gate at 7:20 p.m. on Monday and the 2-year-old pacing fillies will make their provincial debuts in races two, four, and seven.

Mohawk Racetrack Gold Eliminations
Race 2 – C$39,932
Post – Horse – Sire – Driver – Trainer
1 – Windsong Eclipse (Rambaran) – M. Saftic – N. Comegna
2 – Style Semalu (Million Dollar Cam) – M. Saftic – P. Touchette
3 – Southwind Morning (No Pan Intended) – J. Sugg – J. Sugg
4 – Maddam Luck (Northern Luck) – Ma. MacDonald – W. Hamm
5 – Find A Penny (Grinfromeartoear) – M. Saftic – C. Beelby
6 – Kim’s Intended (No Pan Intended) – C. Christoforou, Jr. – J. Seekman
7 – Call Me Yours (Your Nemesis) – Ja. Brewer – S. Gillard
8 – Shake That Junk (Camluck) – J. Jamieson – J. Dean
9 – Charming Woman (Astreos) – T.B.A. – C. Jamieson

Race 4 – C$40,682
1 – Justa Minx (Astreos) – R. Mayotte – R. Laarman
2 – Bolero Talula (Grinfromeartoear) – J. Jamieson – C. Jamieson
3 – Souvenir De Toi (No Pan Intended) – J. Jamieson – C. Jamieson
4 – Slaley (Grinfromeartoear) – L. Ouellette – M. Roth
5 – Perfect Touch (Camluck) – L. Ouellette – D. Swick
6 – Envy (Mach Three) – Ra. Waples – D. Nixon
7 – Lilbitfasternow (Grinfromeartoear) – Ma. MacDonald – E. Miller
8 – Greek Beach (Astreos) – Ra. Waples – T. Jacobs
9 – Speed McQueen (Rambaran) – Ma. MacDonald – W. Hamm
10 – Im Just Special (Camluck) – J. Moiseyev – T. Artandi

Race 7 – C$40,682
1 – HF Velma (Apaches Fame) – L. Ouellette – G. McNair
2 – Etelka (Camotion) – S. Condren – J. Stutzman
3 – Docdor Cam (Camluck) – L. Ouellette – J. Miller
4 – Scary Stars (Astreos) – J. Jamieson – C. Jamieson
5 – Designated Leader (No Pan Intended) – Ph. Hudon – Pa. Hudon
6 – U Make Me Laugh (Grinfromeartoear) – C. Christoforou, Jr. – J. Libby
7 – Panettone (No Pan Intended) – T.B.A. – J. Arledge
8 – Sure Thing Mindale (Grinfromeartoear) – M. Evers – M. Evers
9 – Windsong Eva (Rambaran) – M. Baillargeon – W. Cass
10 – Its About Motion (Your Nemesis) – Ja. Brewer – S. Gillard