Hiawatha Horse Park hosted Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots events for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings on Saturday (July 31), and, for the second straight year, the colts flew around the border oval.

The speed show started early, as Archery Seelster tied the two-year-old trotting colt track record in the first $21,800 division. Starting from post seven with Bob McClure in the race bike, Archery Seelster eased away from the starting gate and was sitting sixth when Mass Attack reached the :28.4 quarter. As Mass Attack continued through a sharp :59.2 half and 1:28.1 three-quarters, McClure kept Archery Seelster out of trouble in the outer lane before turning the colt loose in the stretch. Archery Seelster powered home to a 1:59.4 victory, three-quarters of a length in front of Mass Attack. Usurp Hanover was three lengths back in third, and favourite Lexus Ranger was fourth.

The mile equalled the track record set by Fashion Frenzie in Grassroots action at the Sarnia oval last July.

“He’s a good-gaited colt, suited well for the smaller tracks,” said McClure. “He’s still green so he should improve.”

Trainer Marcel Barrieau and Gestion Mastel Inc. share ownership of Archery Seelster, who was an $85,150 purchase out of last fall’s London Virtual Yearling Sale. The Wheeling N Dealin colt missed the July 15 Grassroots season opener due to sickness, but Barrieau said the youngster was a solid performer all winter. Saturday’s outing was Archery Seelster’s third, and he now boasts a record of one win, one third-place finish and one fourth-place finish.

“He’s a very mild-mannered colt and never ever done nothing wrong. I just hope he can go fast enough, that’s all,” said Barrieau. “I didn’t want to throw him in the ‘A’s’ right away because I like giving them a couple of starts before I do that. It proves to me that they are good enough. I’ll try him in another Grassroots and maybe a Gold after.”

Two-year-old trotting colts will make their third Grassroots start at Kawartha Downs on Aug. 7.

McClure also captured the third $22,150 division with favourite Mask Of Zoro, who sat third through the :29 quarter and 1:00.1 half put up by Rolling In Clover and then took command. On top by a comfortable margin at the 1:29.4 three-quarters, Mask Of Zoro pulled away from his peers in the stretch, reaching the wire 4-3/4 lengths ahead of Rolling In Clover in 2:00.1. Unresolved Debt finished third.

“He’s a very nice colt,” said McClure. “He’s not built like a two-year-old, physically or mentally. He’s all racehorse and a very powerful colt.”

McClure piloted Mask Of Zoro to his first lifetime win for trainer Benoit Hebert and Eric Lafleur, who purchased the Muscle Mass son for $12,000 out of the 2020 Ontario Select Yearling Sale. With Saturday’s win and a third-place finish in the Grassroots season opener, Mask Of Zoro currently sits atop the two-year-old trotting colt standings with 62 points.

Driver Trevor Henry won the other two Grassroots divisions, guiding Stonebridge Zeus and P C Double Down to victory.

Starting from post five in the second division, Stonebridge Zeus watched from fifth as Northern Ironman rolled through fractions of :29.1, 1:00.2 and 1:31.1. Turning for home, Henry found the colt an open lane and Stonebridge Zeus powered by the leaders to a 2:02 victory. Sir Ballykeel was a half length back in second, and Arch Ruler was another length back in third. Favourite Livingontherail finished seventh.

“He got a really good trip,” said Henry. “He squeezed out at the head of the stretch and when he got room he raced good.”

Henry engineered the win for trainer Blake MacIntosh, Van Camp Trotting Corp and Mortgage Boys Stable, who offered up $20,000 for the Resolve son at last fall’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale. The win was the first lifetime for Stonebridge Zeus, who finished eighth in the Grassroots season opener.

“We were high on him all winter, and now he’s just starting to show what we thought he could be,” said MacIntosh, noting that the colt was a little behind his peers after missing about three weeks of training due to sickness. “We’re hoping he just keeps improving, and keeps going forward and shows us the speed we think he has.”

Henry wrapped up the Grassroots action with P C Double Down, going gate-to-wire from post one for a 2:00.2 score. The favourite battled to the wire, keeping a neck in front of Down The Fence and Guinness.

“I drove him last week (July 15) and he raced good. Today, he dug in at the wire to win,” said Henry. “I thought he would have [won] a little easier, but they rushed him the whole way, three-quarters in 1:28.4.”

Amy and Curtis Clements bred and own P C Double Down, and Curtis handles training duties on the son of Il Sogno Dream, who earned his first victory with the effort. The gelding was sixth in the season opener.

On the undercard, trainer Tyler Nostadt recorded a natural grand slam, teaming up with driver Marc St. Louis Jr. — a five-time winner on the day — to capture the final four races on the 13-race program. The team won with Bettors Hope (1:57.2), Dinner At The Met (1:55.1), Style Snapshot (1:56.1) and Wildcat Delight (1:56).

To view Saturday's complete results, click the following link: Saturday Results – Hiawatha Horse Park.

(Ontario Sires Stakes)