Kingbily Of Orange assumed the role of giant slayer at Grand River Raceway on Friday evening, bringing to a halt the six-race win streak of Ontario Sires Stakes two-year-old trotting colt division leader Zorgwijk Knight
.
Starting from Post 1 in the last $24,000 Grassroots division, Kingbily Of Orange and driver Dave Boughton got away third, tucked in behind pacesetter Julians Caesar (Gord Rayner), who battled Snegem Lavec (William Megens) to a :30.1 opening quarter. Julians Caesar continued to lead the field through a 1:01.1 half and a 1:32.2 three-quarters.
Fan favourite Zorgwijk Knight (Doug Bowins) got away seventh from Post 8 and stepped to the outside heading for the halfway marker. When Snegem Lavec stalled before the three-quarters, the four-time Grassroots winner circled out three-wide, pursued by the fan’s second choice, Boogie Woogie (Carl Jamieson). However, while the favourites were stacked up three-wide, lightly rated Kingbily Of Orange slipped out from behind Julians Caesar and took control of the race. On top by one length turning for home, the Banker Hall son stretched it out to one and three-quarters before he sailed under the wire in 2:02.1.
Boogie Woogie closed hard to earn the second-place finisher’s share, with Zorgwijk Knight settling for third.
Paul Lindsey of Fergus bred and owns Kingbily Of Orange, who had one second, one fifth and one sixth to his credit through his first three Grassroots appearances. Fergus resident Donald Lindsey trains the young trotter, who leapt up the division standings with Friday’s victory and now sits tied for tenth in the race for one of 16 invitations to the Grassroots post season.
After testing the waters at the Gold Series level for two starts, High Jingo returned to the Grassroots program on Friday night and stepped off the quickest mile of the six divisions. Driver Luc Ouellette fired the colt away from Post 1 and controlled the race at every station, ringing up fractions of :30, 1:01.3, and 1:31.3. The Angus Hall son sailed under the wire two lengths ahead of Pio Power (Larry Small) and Commander K (Torgeir Hagmann), while favourite Diamond Tough (Mario Baillargeon) made a miscue at the three-quarters and finished well back in fourth.
Chris Beaver of Radnor, Ohio conditions High Jingo for his partner Wilbur Lang of Jamestown, Ohio. Through six starts the colt now has one win, one second and one third for earnings of $23,800.
Krakatoa scored his second Grassroots victory in the second race for trainer Gregg McNair of Guelph and owner-breeders Bloomingwood Farms Ltd. of Harriston. Mike Saftic hustled the Amigo Hall son away from Post 5 and reached the opening quarter in :29.4. The pair continued to blaze the trail through the 1:02.1 half and 1:33 three-quarters before sailing under the wire two and one-quarter lengths ahead of Fuel Cell (Stephen Byron) and Anahar Chase (Robert Jenkins, Jr.) in 2:02.2.
Friday’s victory was Krakatoa’s second straight since McNair added trotting hopples to his kit. Prior to the addition of the hopples on September 11, Krakatoa had tried his hand at both the Gold and Grassroots Series’ with limited success.
The other three Grassroots trophies went home with Watkins (Richard Webb), who recorded a 2:02.2 victory; Baylon De Vie (Stephen Byron), who stopped the Grand River teletimer at 2:03.2; and Up To Speed (Jason Gilchrist), who was also a 2:03.2 winner.
Baylon De Vie's race No. 5 was marred by an accident, which saw Protege Seelster, who was first-over approaching three-quarters, make a break interfering with Celebrity Ferrari (Anthony MacDonald) and causing driver Fred Jamieson to be unseated. Jamieson was on his feet shortly after and appeared to escape injury.
The two-year-old trotting colts take their Grassroots show to Windsor Raceway on October 6 for the last regular season event on their schedule.
Friday’s trotting colt exhibition marked the end of Grand River Raceway’s 2009 Ontario Sires Stakes season, which saw the Elora oval play host to 10 exciting provincial stakes events.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click here.
(With files from OSS)