A gorgeous summer afternoon greeted the two-year-old trotting colts as they arrived at Hiawatha Horse Park on Saturday, July 25 for their second Grassroots leg and the youngsters celebrated with a track record performance in the first $23,150 division.

In spite of starting from Post 9, Fashion Frenzie was the fans’ top choice and the colt rewarded their faith by taking command just after the half and romping home to a 13 length victory in a track record 1:59.4. Test Your Magic finished second and Arch We Lucky was third.

“Yesterday (Friday) I schooled him behind the gate at the farm, just to make sure he was good on the gate, because I wanted to be one of the first guys on the gate with the nine-hole so I wouldn’t have to chase it, and it worked out pretty good,” said trainer-driver Dustin Jones. “He behaved himself behind the gate, so that was a big thing. He got away good and then I was lucky to get behind the second favourite in the first turn and that helped too.”

Fashion Frenzie arrived in the Jones barn just after a July 4 qualifier at Trois-Rivieres, where he learned his early lessons from Francis Richard. The Archangel son made a break in a July 17 qualifier at Woodbine Mohawk Park so Jones made a few shoeing changes and sent the youngster back for a third qualifier on July 21. Fashion Frenzie delivered a flawless 2:00 effort that made the horseman wonder if he should have opted for the Gold Series rather than the Grassroots.

“The last couple weeks he’s really changed a lot, getting out in the paddock every day. He was out in the paddock for an hour this morning, he likes his paddock time and he’s turning into a pretty nice horse,” said Waterdown, Ont. resident Jones. “The young guy that had him in Three Rivers did a heck of a job getting him ready; all I had to do was change his front shoes and put him in to go. They did all the ground work on him, so it made my job a lot easier.”

Ferme Auclair of St. Antoine De Tilly, Ecurie Francis Richard Inc. and Georgette Guillemette Inc. of Becancour and Mario Bourgea of Stanbridge East, Que. share ownership of Fashion Frenzie, who was a $7,000 purchase from last fall’s London Selected Yearling Sale.

The second Grassroots split saw Stonebridge Armour leave smartly from Post 7 and take control before the half, then cruise home a one-half length winner in 2:01.1. Insanity finished second and Crazy Goodbye was three more lengths back in third.

“He got out of there really good, like I could have blasted him right to the front easily, but I just kind of took my time with him and let things settle,” said driver Tyler Moore. “Brett MacDonald was on the front and his (Insanity) looked pretty green so when I come out of the first turn I just tipped him to the outside and away he went. He actually won pretty easy. I didn’t have to ask a lot out of him.”

Campbellville, Ont. resident Moore engineered the win for trainer Jacques Dupont’s Les Ecuries D’Orleans Inc. of Repentigny, Mario Bourgea, Gestion C. Levesque 2005 Inc. of St-Hyacinthe and Marc Camirand of Montreal, Que. The Muscle Mass son, a half-brother to $1.2 million winner Manofmanymissions, was a $45,000 acquisition from the 2019 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.

Driver James MacDonald swept the other two divisions, guiding both Arch Hall and Tymal Chrome to 2:00.4 victories.

Fan favourite Arch Hall left smartly from Post 9 and controlled the pace from start to finish, cruising home a one and one-quarter length winner over Diehard Seelster and All The Trimmings.

“Post 9 would terrify some people, but I wasn’t that worried about it for him, he’s so good-gaited and he’s got quick speed. I mean, if it was three-year-old pacing colts, yeah Post 9 is pretty bad, but for a two-year-old trotting colt, everyone has got to be kind of careful, and I don’t, you know because he’s great-gaited and he’s very professional,” said MacDonald. “So I was able to just get him out of there good and as soon as he settled in on the front he kind of relaxed, and as soon as I need him he had lots more to offer. He’s going to be a nice horse all year I think.”

MacDonald and Arch Hall were second in the Grassroots season opener at Georgian Downs on July 11, just caught at the wire, and the Guelph, Ont. resident said the Archangel son had clearly absorbed the lessons he learned in his first outing. St. George, Ont. resident Blake MacIntosh conditions Arch Hall for his co-owner Hutt Racing Stable of Malvern, Penn.

In the final $23,150 division MacDonald and Tymal Chrome watched Petro Dealin and Daylon Midnight ring up sharp a :28.2 quarter, :59.3 half and 1:29.3 three-quarters and then circled around the tiring leaders and drew away to a one and one-half length. The Wheel and Incredible Hall also circled the pacesetters to be second and third.

“He punched out of there good and there were some big fractions up front, they were moving along pretty good, so when they started to tire I just flipped him out three wide and he was very good,” said MacDonald. “He got in a little bit on the last turn, I kind of just had to watch him, and then when he straightened up he took off again.

“I was very fortunate. I had three bomb proof trotters to drive in the Sires Stakes today,” added MacDonald, who also piloted Test Your Magic to his runner-up result in the first division. “It makes your job as a driver a lot easier when you only have to focus on your job, and not hanging onto them or holding them together and your job.”

Anthony Beaton trains Tymal Chrome for Larry Menary of Branchton, Michael Guerriero of Brampton, Ont. and George Harrison of Wanes Walton, England, who offered up $22,000 for the youngster at the Harrisburg Yearling Sale. The Muscle Mass son was third in the Grassroots season opener, finishing one length behind Arch Hall.

The two-year-old trotting colts will resume their Grassroots rivalry on Monday, Aug. 3 at Dresden Raceway.

Hiawatha Horse Park’s record book will face its second threat of the season on Saturday, Aug. 22 when the two-year-old pacing colts arrive in Sarnia for their third Grassroots leg.

To view the results from Saturday card of harness racing at Hiawatha Horse park, click the following link: Saturday Results - Hiawatha Horse Park.

(OSS)