The filly is the first foal of dual New Zealand Trotting Cup winner Flashing Red to qualify, and will hit the track against other 2yr-old pacers in the first juvenile race in the South Island this season.
Red Hot Toddy's trainer-driver, Ken Barron, said the pairing between Flashing Red and Lady Toddy came about out of a frustrating run with foals from Lady Toddy for her owners, Steve Gallop and Brian Collins, of Christchurch.
''They had two [Christian] Cullens, a Falcon Seelster and a Mach Three, and they had fallen below expectations,'' Barron said.
Flashing Red was offered to breeders on a free service deal. Plenty of breeders took up the option, and the powerful stayer served 116 mares in his first season. Lady Toddy, the 2005 New Zealand Standardbred Breeders' Stakes winner, was among those mares.
''Everyone said [Flashing Red] was poorly bred, but he's a multiple group 1 winner and she's a group 1 winner, so you breed the best to the best and hope for the best.''
Red Hot Toddy appears to have taken after her father in the toughness stakes, judging by her qualifying effort at Ashburton last week.
''Her qualifying run was very good,'' Barron said.
''She got knocked over and sat parked and still held them out. That's probably why she's here.''
Red Hot Toddy takes on, among others, Ares, who is the second Pay Me Christian foal to qualify, after Arma Augustus qualified in November. The 2006 New Zealand Derby winner, Pay Me Christian had an aborted stud career after he was found to be almost infertile, and eventually returned to racing after producing a total of 35 live foals over two seasons in the breeding barn.
Barron also has Ruby Banner, who is fresh-up in a maiden race today.
She slightly disappointed Barron in two starts in August, although she did run second behind Donegal Starella at Forbury Park before taking a break.
''She's only had one trial but she trialled very good [winning by nine lengths] and she's come down to go in the maiden race and then the fillies' heat the following week.
''It would have been nice to have one more run, but she's improved quite a bit since last time in.''
