by Sandra Snyder, for the Ontario Sires Stakes

Campbellville, ON — In his equine clinic Dr. Dan McMaster calls the shots, but when it comes to 2-year-old trotting filly Feels Like Magic the Campbellville resident admits that his veterinary intern Tine Nielsen is the chief decision maker.

“Tine makes all the calls. She really knows trotters,” says McMaster, who is one-third of the Feels Like Magic Stable along with Moffat resident Nielsen and Dr. David Powell of Campbellville. “Tine picked her out. She phoned us and said, ‘I got a good one; do you want in?'”

McMaster and Powell said, ‘Yes’, and so far it is a decision they do not regret. Heading into the fourth Gold elimination of the season this Saturday (September 22) at Mohawk Racetrack, Feels Like Magic looks like she is evolving into a serious contender on the talent laden Ontario Sires Stakes circuit.

Since making her debut in an August 10 qualifier, Feels Like Magic has posted a runner-up finish in a Gold elimination, a fourth in a Gold Final and a second in a division of the Champlain Stakes, all over Mohawk’s seven-eighths-mile oval.

“Tine and Kevin (trainer O’Reilly) have brought her along slow and managed her well,” says McMaster, “And it looks like, just maybe, she might be a good one.”

Along with their careful management, Nielsen and O’Reilly have also tried to give Feels Like Magic a boost by pairing her up with a wise and experienced racing veteran. The daughter of Kadabra and Doyenne spends her time in the paddock with trotting mare Snazzy Millie, a winner of over C$1 million.

“She’s great, she’s a bit of a character,” says McMaster of Feels Like Magic, “And she doesn’t have too bad a mentor to look up to. She goes out in the field with Snazzy Millie at Kevin’s farm.”

On Saturday, Feels Like Magic will put all of Snazzy Millie’s wise counsel to good use from post four in the second of two Gold eliminations. Among the fillies she and Hall of Fame horseman Bill O’Donnell will see in race six are former Gold elimination winners Beyond Limits, Somebody To Love, and Sugar Coated Lindy, who will be handicapped by posts nine, 10 and 11.

The 2-year-old trotting filly Gold eliminations, races three and six on Mohawk’s Saturday evening program, flank the highly anticipated C$130,000 Gold Final for the 2-year-old pacing fillies.

The pacing fillies impressed fans at the Campbellville oval last week, laying down a trio of exceptional elimination miles in spite of a racing surface rated three seconds slower than normal. Leading the way in the speed show was first time Gold Series starter Voelz Hanover, who stopped the clock at 1:53.4.

“She raced very, very hard last week,” says trainer-driver Rick Zeron. “She got kind of hard pressed — the second quarter in :27 and a piece — and overcame that and came down the stretch for me with a big mile on a bad night.”

Voelz Hanover started her season off with a string of three victories at Hippodrome de Montreal in July, then made it four straight with a win at Mohawk on August 5. Scratched sick out of her Robert Stewart division, the filly moved into Zeron’s barn in time for the August 25 She’s A Great Lady elimination, where she finished fifth. Second in the She’s A Great Lady Consolation, Voelz Hanover then finished third in her Champlain Stakes division on September 7 before returning to the winner’s circle after last week’s elimination performance.

“She’s a real nice filly. She does everything perfect,” says the horseman, who trains Voelz Hanover for R. Berthiaume Inc. of Montreal, Quebec. “She’s all around just a great filly to work around, and just nice to be around. I’m looking for really big things from her this weekend.”

Voelz Hanover will start from the advantageous post one in Saturday’s Gold Final, while the other two elimination winners, Style Semalu and Chancey Lady, will be hampered by posts seven and nine.

Post time for Mohawk Racetrack’s Ontario Sires Stakes showcase this Saturday, September 22, is 7:20 p.m. The freshman pacing fillies square off in their third Gold Final in race five, while the trotting fillies get their fourth Gold Series underway in races three and six.

Entries – Mohawk Racetrack Gold Series
Race 3 — C$52,724 2-Year-Old Filly Trot Gold Elimination
Post – Horse (Sire) – Driver – Trainer
1 – Windsun Magical (Kadabra) – J. Gilchrist – J. Gilchrist
2 – Benediction Lindy (Angus Hall) – J. Moiseyev – A. Lorentzon
3 – Magical Memories (Kadabra) – K. Oliver – L. Walker
4 – Torch (Kadabra) – J. Jamieson – C. Jamieson
5 – Gaelic Mistress (Striking Sahbra) – S. Byron – J. Bax
6 – Stonebridge Dancer (Angus Hall) – T. Ritchie – O. Formia
7 – Jonlinda (Angus Hall) – R. Zeron – J. Stutzman
8 – Its My Time (Angus Hall) – R. Zeron – J. Takter
9 – Abby Kadabra (Kadabra) – Ma. MacDonald – R. Laarman
10 – Ms Naughty (Kadabra) – Ma. MacDonald – D. Creighton

Race 6 — C$53,474 2-Year-Old Filly Trot Gold Elimination
1 – Delphic (Striking Sahbra) – C. Christoforou, Jr. – R. Laarman
2 – Feels Like Magic (Kadabra) – W. O’Donnell – K. O’Reilly
3 – Baums Beauty (Kadabra) – T.B.A. – H. Lunde
4 – In Fine Form (Striking Sahbra) – T.B.A. – W. Hamm
5 – Splendid Isolation (Kadabra) – R. Zeron – G. Mackenzie
6 – Thy Worthys Jwl (Wesgate Crown) – A. MacDonald – A. MacDonald
7 – Nashotah (Duke Of York) – P. MacDonell – J. Bax
8 – Most Fabulous (Striking Sahbra) – R. Mayotte – R. Mayotte
9 – Beyond Limits (Angus Hall) – S. Condren – S. McEneny
10 – Somebody To Love (Angus Hall) – C. Christoforou, Jr. – D. McCall
11 – Sugar Coated Lindy (Angus Hall) – C. Christoforou, Jr. – A. Wolden

Race 5 — C$130,000 2-Year-Old Filly Pace Gold Final
1 – Voelz Hanover (Astreos) – R. Zeron – R. Zeron
2 – Lilbitfasternow (Grinfromeartoear) – Ma. MacDonald – T. Pinske
3 – Enniscrone (Grinfromeartoear) – P. MacDonell – J. Dean
4 – Shake That Junk (Camluck) – J. Jamieson – J. Dean
5 – U Make Me Laugh (Grinfromeartoear) – C. Christoforou, Jr. – J. Libby
6 – Designated Leader (No Pan Intended) – Ph. Hudon – Pa. Hudon
7 – Style Semalu (Million Dollar Cam) – M. Baillargeon – P. Touchette
8 – Envy (Mach Three) – B. Forward – S. Robinson
9 – Chancey Lady (Camluck) – Ma. MacDonald – C. Coleman
10 – Gold Not Silver (No Pan Intended) – C. Christoforou, Jr. – J. Kopas
AE1 – Southwind Swallow (No Pan Intended) – P. MacDonell – M. Vanderkemp
AE2 – A And Gs Astreos (Astreos) – L. Ouellette – R. Parsons
AE3 – Lady Of Fortune (Camluck) – J. Jamieson – B. Burgess