Possess The Magic Tops World Trotting Derby Filly Eligibles

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- The richest 2-year-old trotter of 2006, the filly Possess The Magic, leads a list of 40 eligibles to the World Trotting Derby filly division to be contested on Aug. 31 at the Du Quoin State Fair.
The daughter of Self Possessed won nine of 13 starts and was second three times last season.  That was good enough to bring her bankroll to $697,450 at the end of 2006.
Possess The Magic capped her season with a convincing 1-3/4 length victory over Pampered Princess in the $600,000 Breeders Crown at Woodbine Racecourse in Toronto, Ontario.
Two starts earlier she had become the fastest 2-year-old trotting filly in harness racing history with a 1:54-2/5 win over The Red Mile track in Lexington.
The star filly is owned by her breeder, Brittany Farms of Versailles, Kentucky, which is operated by George Segal of Chicago. She was trained by Ron Gurfein and driven by Mike Lachance.
Possess The Magic could have competition in the filly division of the World Trotting Derby from several of the best 2-year-old trotting fillies of the 2006 campaign.
Gerri's Joy, winner of the $357,000 Merrie Annabelle last summer, is also among the eligibles. She won three of her eight starts last year and ended the year with a healthy bankroll of $394,223.
Falls For You, winner of the late-season classic Goldsmith Maid for freshman trotting fillies, is also being pointed at the World Trotting Derby filly race. She defeated Gerri's Joy by four lengths in winning the $410,000 Goldsmith Maid.
Michelle's Angel is another top first-season star from 2006 hoping to show up ready to do battle in Du Quoin. She earned $232,692 last year while winning five of her 14 starts.
With so many of the best 3-year-old trotting fillies in North America eligible to the World Trotting Derby, the 2007 renewal could be one of the most exciting in the race's history.