Owner-trainer Debra Lewis has decided to throw promising filly Rumour Has It in the deep end by starting the three-year-old in the Join The Caduceus Club Today Pace at Gloucester Park on Saturday night.
Rumour Has It, to be driven by Chris Lewis from the coveted No. 1 barrier, is the least experienced runner in the field of 12 and is the youngest against her rivals whose ages range between four and nine years.
However, Rumour Has It is a quick beginner who looks capable of setting the pace and fighting out the finish. She led from barrier one and held on gamely to win from Just For Love in the Group 2 Daintys Daughter Classic, rating 1.56.5 over the 2130m journey last Friday week. She impressed in running the final 800m in 56.2sec.
Six-year-old Vivere Damore, a winner of 11 races and $150,137, looks one of Rumour Has It’s main rivals, despite drawing the outside barrier (No. 9). Emily Suvaljko will drive the Peter Tilbrook-trained Vivere Damore, an extremely versatile mare who can unwind a powerful finishing burst.
Delightfulreaction (barrier eight), Just Makemine Diamonds (barrier two on the back line) and last-start all-the-way winner Aly Shar (inside of the back line) will have admirers.
The Aiden de Campo-trained Delightfulreaction, to be driven by Corey Peterson, maintained her consistent form last week when she finished strongly to win a 2503m stand from Major Artists and Carremar Philemon. Just Makemine Diamonds has a losing sequence of 20 but is close to returning to the winning list. She unwound a powerful finishing burst when a last-start second to Aly Shar.
