Western Fair: Gillis homebred among big group in London for Grassroots action

Elises Delight is one of 45 sophomore pacing fillies heading to southern Ontario on Friday to compete for C$132,000 in six Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots divisions at The Raceway at the Western Fair District.

Elises Delight, trained by Jeff Gillis who bred and owns the filly with Ellen Ott of Buffalo NY, won the C$43,900 Ontario Sired Spring Series Final at Woodbine Mohawk Park on April 22.

The daughter of Bettor's Delight has been a pleasant surprise for Gillis after she made just two pari-mutuel starts in her freshman season.

“Last year she got off on the wrong foot and wasn’t physically or mentally ready, so we just shut her down,” said Gillis. “She is not a very big filly and not a blocky, rugged Bettor's Delight. But she paced in 1:51 in her last start, and I am not sure I ever thought she would do that. So, we are just kind of taking it as it comes with her.”

Gillis’ connection with this filly goes back two generations. The resident of Fergus, Ont., purchased her second dam Shes Beachy when she was in-foal to Artsplace, as part of his last crop.

That foal was Elises Delight’s dam Slimsplace, who put over $142,000 on her card for Gillis on the racetrack and is the dam of The Downtown Bus, a gelded son of Mach Three who was a stakes winner in Gillis’ barn including scores in the 2018 Matron at Dover Downs, and multiple OSS Gold divisions.

“Slimsplace was named after my father. His nickname was Slim, and he passed just a month after that mare was born,” said Gillis. “Then Elises Delight, my partner that is her granddaughter, so it’s special to her, and there is always a little bit of sentimentality and pride that comes with raising one yourself.

On Friday Elises Delight will leave from post two in race six with James MacDonald driving. It will be her racing debut over a half mile track.

“I don’t think the half will be a concern. I think she will be around it just fine,” said Gillis. “She was actually on the left line a little bit in her last start, which actually bodes well for the turns. So, I don’t anticipate any problem.”

Others to Watch on Friday

Star So Bright, is a $250,000 Lexington Select yearling who raced in Brett Pelling’s barn last year has moved to Gregg McNair’s stable this year. Owned by Mac and Carol Nichol of Burlington, Ont., the daughter of Bettor's Delight is the 8-5 morning line favorite in race 9, the final C$22,200 Grassroots division of the evening. Doug McNair will drive.

Chedda Chedda already has more than $64,000 on her card in 2023, with close to $20,000 earned through a mark of 1-1-1 in three Ontario Sired Spring Series starts. The daughter of Betterthancheddar is trained by Chantal Mitchell and owned by Decision Theory Inc. Trevor Henry is in the racebike.

Mist Amber from the barn of local trainer John Pentland (Dorchester, Ont.) has four conditioned wins at The Raceway in 2023 and will look to replicate those efforts in her first attempt against stakes company. Leading London driver Tyler Borth has the reins.

-edited release (Austin Stanton for Ontario Racing)