by Karen Briggs, WEG media

Campbellville, ON — Nine top fillies are going to try, but it will take a lot to beat Southwind Tempo in the C$718,600 Fan Hanover Stakes on Saturday, August 25, at Mohawk Racetrack.

The 3-year-old pacing filly is at the top of her game, having recovered from a mild case of heat exhaustion suffered during the Mistletoe Shalee Stakes at the Meadowlands, and made short work of her rivals in the elimination for the Fan Hanover.

Never worse than second in a career that, so far, has earned her owners Toby Lynch and former New York Jets receiver Wayne Chrebet some $639,772 in purses, Southwind Tempo holds a world record time for 3-year-old filly pacers on a five-eighths-mile track (1:49.3, set at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs), and is 13 for 15 in 2007.

The Steve Elliott trainee, by Bettor’s Delight, has demonstrated her versatility on practically every size oval — but if anyone can beat her, it might be Ontario-owned Hana Hanover, a speedy Western Hanover-Hawaiian Jenna daughter who holds a lifetime mark of 1:49.3 and bested Southwind Tempo earlier this month in the Mistletoe Shalee.

“She raced very well in the elimination, I thought,” says Steacy. “She hung tough. But unfortunately we got the 10 hole (for the final) so we’ve got our work cut out for us. Southwind Tempo is very handy — she’ll be on the front end at the half, and we’d like to be riding right on her back the way we did at the Meadowlands, but from the 10 that will be tough. It’s going to be up to George Brennan to get her round the track as best he can.

“She seems to be sharp, though, and she can go with (Southwind Tempo), so we’ll see.”

Also watch for Luck Of Michelle, Canada’s top 2-year-old pacing filly of 2006, who’ll be leaving from post position two, inside Southwind Tempo, as well as Greg Peck trainee Lady Mattgalane, who received a bye to the Fan Hanover final, in the seven hole.

Post time at Mohawk is 7:20 p.m. Saturday, and the Fan Hanover Stakes is race eight on Saturday’s race card, at 9:46 p.m.