Pretty Amigo was the only favoured filly to stay on stride and deliver on her pari-mutuel promise in six $24,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots divisions for freshmen trotting fillies held on Wednesday afternoon at Flamboro Downs
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The Amigo Hall-Diminutive was more than stable as she front-stepped her way to an authoritative 13-length victory in 2:01.4 for teamster Paul MacKenzie and trainer Blair Burgess. Princess Nahanni (Stephen Davis) came first-over from third to grab second while Photogenic Filly (Ron Waples) recovered from an early miscue to come on for third. Owned and bred by Robert Burgess of Campbellville and Karin Olsson Burgess of Milton, Ont., Pretty Amigo won for the second time this year in nine outings lifting her earnings to $33,000.
With owner and breeder Dave Wall at the controls, 4-1 Boots N Hearts shot to the lead in the first division while odds-on Velten Ladolcevita (Wayne Henry) jumped it off in the early going, but recovered and laid on the pressure through the middle fractions. Boots N Hearts, however, refused to surrender the top spot and she pressed on to score in 2:04.3 by three-quarters of a length. Oaklea Sydney (Ron Waples) moved three-deep around the favourite at the third station and kicked home for second. Kassie Oaks (William Rankin) was third. Dean Wall trains the Striking Sahbra-Dell Ridge Savanna filly, who has won two races in nine starts earning $47,529 this season.
Divisional leader Cool Canada (Mark Steacy) carved out all the panels in her split and fought off a challenge from the pocket-sitting Northern Kitty (Dave Wall) past three-quarters, but couldn’t fend off a hard-closing Ipromisenottotell and trainer/driver Joe Hudon, Jr. in the stretch. At odds of 8-1, the Angus Hall-Imagine My Pride filly used a :29.2 final frame to rally from third for the victory. She stopped the clock in 2:01.4 winning by three-quarters of a length over the pacesetter. Northern Kitti finished third. Now two-for-six in her debut season, Ipromisnottotell has banked $26,400 for R A W Equine Inc. of Milton, Ont.
Harlequin Seelster produced the biggest surprise of the day winning her division in 2:03.3 in wire-to-wire fashion at odds of 36-1. With Stephen Byron in the bike, the Duke Of York-Hollywood Beauty lass prevailed by a length and a half over Our Angel Flight (Ted Jacobs) with J M Gold Digger (Trevor Henry) rounding out the top three. John Bax trains Harlequin Seelster for owners Parkhill Stud Farm of Peterborough and Betty Bax of Kitchener, Ont. The win was her first in only three tries this season giving her $13,920 earned on the year.
With trainer Wayne Henry at the helm, Charming Way was charming all the way home in 2:01.4. The 4-1 third choice won by a length and a half while Daria Hall (Doug Brown) journeyed first-over for the runner-up spot and Working Girl (Tomas Dalbourg) finished third off a pocket trip. The daughter of Angus Hall-Royal Axe now sports two wins on her record out of six starts and has $30,972 in winnings for the Henry Stable of Arthur and James Laverty of Sauble Beach, Ont.
Tymal Tiara pulled off a 9-1 upset after advancing first up from fourth past three-quarters. Doug Brown guided the Angus Hall-Chiara filly to the one-length maiden breaking victory in 2:03. Striking Bella (Ross Battin) made a three-wide move at three-quarters to propel her into second ahead of Your Word Is Good (Larry Walker). In seven starts, the winner of $27,444 has compiled a record reading 1-1-2 for owners John Fielding and Jim Fielding of Toronto, Chris Storms of Picton and Brian Zong of Downsview, Ont.
The freshmen trotting fillies will head to Kawartha Downs on Tuesday, October 13 for the final set of Grassroots divisions before the semifinals.
To view Wednesday's harness racing results, click here.