Two days after the sophomore colts battle in Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series action, Kawartha Downs fans will get a look at this year’s freshman pacing colt crop when 64 youngsters arrive in town Saturday night

to battle for a total of $192,000 in eight Grassroots divisions.

Along with the Grassroots veterans are a handful of newcomers to the provincial program, including Outside The Wire , who heads into his debut off a runner-up finish in qualifying action at Kawartha Downs on August 20. In rein to Fred Brethour, Outside The Wire circled the five-eighths mile oval in 1:58.3 and earned himself a shot at the Grassroots colts on Friday.

“I don’t know whether he’s going to be ready or not,” said Joseph Hamilton, who bred and owns the colt with his longtime friends Murray Ross of Norwood, Ont. and Grant Ross of Peterborough, Ont. “He’s certainly got a burst of speed, so we’ll see how he goes.”

When Hamilton and his partners had the opportunity to lease mare Gosroundcomesround three years ago, the longtime owners jumped at the chance. The mare is by Jate Lobell, and Hamilton was eager to breed her to Grinfromeartoear, hoping to produce a horse that would be half as successful on the racetrack as the similarly-bred Mister Big ($4,143,492) or Geartogear ($657,949). The partners were delighted when the mating resulted in a colt, and their enthusiasm did not wane as trainer Peter La Rush put the colt through his early paces.

“He learns quite fast. He’s done everything right so far,” Hamilton said. “I really like the colt, he’s a big strong colt, and I really like his breeding.”

Hamilton acknowledges that Saturday’s test will be a tough one for Outside The Wire, who will start from Post 7 in the second last Grassroots division. The other seven starters have at least one start under their belts, with the more experienced members of the field sporting five.

“I don’t know how great he’s going to be, he’s only had one qualifier,” said the resident of Norwood. “Throwing him in a [stakes] race is a roll of the dice.

“We’ll hope for the best, and if he races well and doesn’t get any money, we’ll be pleased with that too,” he added.

Hamilton said trainer La Rush has done an excellent job preparing Outside The Wire for his freshman campaign, and noted that the colt’s mid-season arrival on the Ontario Sires Stakes scene is part and parcel of the group’s training philosophy.

“Unless they show some real potential, I’m not much for really pushing them as a two-year-old,” Hamilton explained. “My dad was a vet, he’s passed away now, but he always said be easy on the babies.

“We’ve had a lot of fun getting him there, and Pete La Rush has done a good job with him,” the owner added. “If we use the colt right, I think he’s going to make a real good racehorse.”

Brethour will be back in the race bike on Saturday and will help navigate the colt from Post 7 in Race 10. Among the veteran performers they will face is the Boys of Summer Pacing Series winner Huxley, who will start from the advantageous Post 1.

In the other divisions, True To Mach will be hoping to maintain his flawless Grassroots record from Post 5 in the first $24,000 division, while R Gauwitz Hanover aims to do the same from Post 2 in the second race.

First-race post time for Kawartha Downs’ Saturday evening program is 7:00 p.m., with the spotlight turned on the two-year-old pacing colts in Races 1 through 4, 6, 8, 10 and 11.

To view the Saturday harness racing entries at Kawartha, click the following link: Saturday - Kawartha Downs.

(OSS)