Sophomores Slug It Out In Grassroots Semi-Finals
The sophomores had their turn to battle in OSS Grassroots Semi-Final action on Friday evening at
Eight Semi-Finals were contested over the course of the 12-race card, and here’s a breakdown of what transpired in each of the categories:
Three-Year-Old Trotting Fillies
Rose Run Xcentric went to the front and didn’t look back in her $20,000 assignment for the duo of driver James MacDonald and trainer Rob Fellows.
MacDonald marched the Kadabra-Drink The Wine filly to the lead from Post 7 and together they led the field through fractions of :27.3, :56.3 and 1:24.4. A :29.1 closing quarter was enough to earn her the win by three-quarters of a length over Sant Antoine in a career best clocking of 1:54. Odds-on favourite Stormont Molly had to settle for third prize.
Brookbro Racing and Chris Bell share ownership on the five-time winner who improved her seasonal record to 3-2-0 from 13 starts with the win. She’s banked over $105,000 to date.
Hang On Baby was heavily favoured in her Semi-Final assignment, and thanks to a solid kick on the end of the mile she was able to get up just in time for driver Sylvain Filion.
The 3-5 favourite got away fifth and held that spot through the first three-quarters of the mile. Halo Its Heaven (:27.1) and Clockwork Orange (:56.2 and 1:25.3) took turns on the lead, but neither had staying power. Hang On Baby latched onto final turn cover before uncorking a :27.4 final quarter to win by a half-length margin over Hershey Seelster in 1:54.3. Stormont Mabel was third.
It was the 10th win of the season for the daughter of Muscle Mass-You And Me Baby who is owned by Ralph and Sandra Pitt of
Three-Year-Old Pacing Fillies
Momentarily was bet off the board in her assignments, and she didn’t disappoint for the tandem of driver Louis-Philippe Roy and trainer Dan Lagace.
After parking to the quarter pole in :27.2,
The odds-on favourite improved her 2022 record to 5-0-1 from 13 trips to the track for Lagace and partners Ben Mudry, Edwin Buhler and Robert Van Ostrand. The daughter of Control The Moment-Sun N Moon has banked close to $95,000 in lifetime earnings.
Raptors Won was a big favourite in the other Semi-Final, and she got her nose to the line just in time to fend of a late-driving longshot.
James MacDonald got away fourth with the Nick Gallucci trainee while Dewitt For Josie marched to the top and sliced out splits of :26.4, :55.2 and 1:24. Raptors Won got underway just before the field scooted into the final turn, and she was at the flank of Dewitt For Josie as the field headed into the final quarter of the contest. Raptors Won kicked home in :27.3 and won by a half-length margin over Morethanmyhometown in 1:51.3. Dewitt For Josie rounded out the Trifecta ticket.
Millar Farms of
Three-Year-Old Trotting Colts & Geldings
Warrawee Xalt was sent off as the even-money choice in his quest for a third consecutive victory, and he passed the test with flying colours for the team of driver Scott Young and trainer Jeff Gillis.
The son of Royalty For Life-Noble Peace Prize parked past the quarter pole in :27.2 before sweeping up to grab the lead. Once he cleared, he went on to post middle panels of :56.1 and 1:25. He then used a :28.4 closing quarter to win by 2-3/4 lengths over Renegade Gypsy in 1:53.4. Archery Seelster nabbed the show dough.
Gillis and partner Ellen Ott have watched the gelding manufacture a 3-2-1 record from six starts this season. The $10,000 payday pushed his lifetime earnings to $$41,840.
Resolute Bay pushed his winning streak to four-in-a-row thanks to his decisive score in the second Semi-Final for the duo of driver James MacDonald and trainer Harry Poulton.
The son of Resolve-Tequila Slammer got away fifth while Mr Fritter shot the top and served up fractions of :27.4,: 57.3 and 1:26.2.
Thestable Resolute Bay of Guelph, Ont. owns the streaking sophomore who now owns a 5-1-3 record from 16 trips to the track this season. The six-time winner has banked $83,749 to date.
Three-Year-Old Pacing Colts & Geldings
Kobra Kai extended his winning streak to four-in-a-row thanks to a 1:52.4 triumph in his assignment for driver James MacDonald and trainer Rob Fellows.
The son of Shanghai Phil-Fanciful got away fourth before quarter pole-moving to the top in the backstretch. He was on the hook for middle fractions of :55.3 and 1:24.2, and he tacked on a :28.2 closing kick which earned him the win by a head over Stop The Shootin. Coligny
Patrick Dillon of Port
Dreamfair Arnie B was yet another popular winner to find his way to victory lane, and in doing so he registered his sixth win of the season.
Travis Cullen got away third with the Jodie Cullen trainee while Persistant Boy and Chucky Hanover battled to the quarter pole in :27.3. Chucky
John Lamers of Mount Brydges, Ont. bred and owns the son of Sportswriter-Dreamfair Eternal. The win improved his 2022 record to 6-3-1 from 16 starts and it lifted his lifetime earnings to $86,073.
Friday’s card also featured a $25,000 Pop Up Series Final that saw trainer Shawn Steacy celebrate a 1-2 finish.
Nightlife Seelster prevailed over stablemate Mary Kat in a career best clocking of 1:51.1. Carsons Gouda was third.
Jody Jamieson mapped out the winning trip for the four-year-old daughter of
To view results for Friday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Friday Results –