by David Mattia, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Plainfield, NJ — On Friday night, August 15, Tidewaterdragonfly will look to score in the $123,500 Artiscape at Vernon Downs. A victory in that event will put her very close to the million-dollar mark, but to get that victory she’ll have to butt heads with tough mares like My Little Dragon and Darlin’s Delight to name a few. She’s beaten both of them before and there is no reason to doubt that she just might do it again.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Tidewaterdragonfly has banked $891,982 in her career.

Trained by one of Ohio’s best, Kelly O’Donnell, the brown daughter of Dragon Again-Happy Jinny has earned $891,982 thus far for her owners David Beachler and Annefuria Singleton. Not bad for a horse who arrived in Kelly O’Donnell’s barn with an affirmation from her previous trainer that she was not good enough to race.

“I had never before trained horses for the people who own Tidewaterdragonfly. In fact, I didn’t even know them,” said O’Donnell. “About May 1 of her 2-year-old year, they called me because they knew I had trained and raced her sire Dragon Again. I don’t remember who it was that was training her at the time but the owners were told that she had no ability and she just wasn’t going to do.

“They asked me if I would try her for a few weeks to see what I thought. She had been in 2:20 at the time and about a month later she was training good so I put her into a qualifier. She went around 2:03 and then 2:02 or something and not long after she won a Pennsylvania Sire Stake race at The Meadows in 1:54.2. I raced her six times at two and she ended up making close to a hundred thousand.”

Friday night’s Artiscape will again find Tidewaterdragonfly trying to get the best of the best mares around. In her last start, the $232,000 Golden Girls at The Meadowlands on August 2, she had to settle for a third place check behind Darlin’s Delight and My Little Dragon, but on June 28 at Mohawk Racetrack, in the $401,658 Roses Are Red, a race that better fit her racing style, Tidewaterdragonfly closed from well off the pace for driver Dave Palone to best Southwind Madonna and Southwind Tempo in 1:50.1; My Little Dragon had to settle for fifth.

New Image Media photo

Tidewaterdragonfly (#3) was a neck winner in the $401,658 Roses Are Red Final.

“Her best race this year was the Roses Are Red in Canada,” said O’Donnell. “In the Roses Are Red she was still seventh at the three-quarter; they were down the half in :53.4 and she kind of picked up the pieces but that’s the way she likes it. That’s her racing style.

“She’s not the kind of mare that can leave hard — I don’t think we’ve really ever left with her. She’s not the kind of mare who can roll off the gate and whack a big mile with horses sitting on her back. She needs a little help and she likes to come from off the pace — let the other horses do the work and then pick up the pieces.”

While Tidewaterdragonfly might be a tough customer on the racetrack, her off-track demeanor is somewhat less belligerent.

“She’s just a sweetheart around the barn,” said O’Donnell. “She wouldn’t hurt a fly and she’s very laid back. During the week we never do a whole lot with her. She jogs light and gets turned out every day. She’s just a joy to be around. She’s had some issues with her feet and ankles but other than that she’s a very sound mare.”

As far as Tidewaterdragonfly’s connections are concerned, 2008 is about reaching that million-dollar milestone and finishing up the year with some big wins.

“This year we hope we can get her over the million-dollar mark,” said O’Donnell, who is himself closing in on the $10 million-dollar mark in trainer earnings. “She’s got some big races left. After this week at Vernon she has the Breeders Crown at Mohawk. After that she has the Milton (Stakes at Mohawk) and then she has one more start at Lexington in October. Hopefully we can finish out the race with her sound and then come back again next year.”

And as far as her chances in Friday night’s Artiscape are concerned, trainer O’Donnell is hoping the race sets up the way his mare likes it.

“No doubt it’s going to be a tough race,” said O’Donnell. “The mares in there are the best older mares around right now. It’s going to definitely be a very good race and it will depend on what happens when they open the gate, but my horse, just like any of them, needs a good trip and some luck. She can go with them but she needs a bit of a trip. It’s going to depend on the trip, but it’s going to be a good race without a doubt.”

The field for the $123,500 Artiscape at Vernon Downs lines up thusly.

1-Enhance The Night (David Miller)
2-My Little Dragon (Brian Sears)
3-Cabana Fever (Jimmy Whittemore)
4-Tidewaterdragonfly (Tim Tetrick)
5-Ideal Weather (Ron Pierce)
6-Darlin’s Delight (Yannick Gingras)
7-Elusive Prey (Andy Miller)
8-Lislea Phia (Ray Schnittker)