Finding a drop in class from Ontario Sires Stakes Gold events to his liking, Mike Me Up took top honours in the Grassroots fourth preliminary leg for three-year-old male trotters on Saturday, Aug. 8 at Kawartha Downs with a lifetime best-equalling 1:55 win in the first of three $30,000 splits.

After mustering only a fourth-place finish in three Gold tries earlier in the season, Mike Me Up was sent off as the 3-4 favourite in the switch to kinder company, and he made the lead easily past a :28 quarter for driver Samuel Fillion after being looped on the first turn by Trouble With Names (Scott Young) and swinging three-wide around him to take charge with just over a lap to go. After making the front, Mike Me Up travelled unopposed through a :57.4 half before repelling a mild first-over bid from Sendi Ka (Nicholas Boyd) midway up the backstretch and throwing down back-to-back :28.3 splits over the "good" track to put 3-3/4 lengths between himself and his seven rivals. Trouble With Names saved second and Green Nineteen (Stephen Byron) finished a ground-saving third.

Making a successful Kawartha debut, Mike Me Up, a Muscle Mass-Meghan C gelding, earned his third career win and first of the season in 11 starts for trainer Kyle Fellows and the partnership of Yolanda Fellows of Rockwood, Ont., Erna & Blair Corbeil of Leduc, Alta., and Mike McAllister of Beaumont, Alta. Mike Me Up paid $3.50 to win.

Tavern Onthe Green ($2.60) also posted an odds-on win, riding the pocket behind Silver Detector (Fillion) through splits of :27.4, :59 and 1:27.4 before angling out for the stretch drive and defeating the pacesetter by three-quarters of a length in 1:56.2. D A Masstermind (Jonathan Drury) was third. Scott Young drove the Green Manalishi S-Flos Conch Shack gelding for trainer Luc Blais and owner Determination of Montreal, Que.

Stonebridge Wings ($9.50) completed the trio of Grassroots winners, lifting off the live cover of 4-5 favourite Maize And Blue (Fillion) in the stretch and defeating him by a neck in 1:55.2 in line to Austin Sorrie. Thor B Good (Drury) finished a beaten third after facing sustained pressure through the far turn. Trainer Marcel Barrieau shares ownership of the Archangel-Stonebridge Glider gelding, who was also a Grassroots winner in round two, with Gestion Mastel Inc. of Longueil, Que.

A quintet of $10,000 Prospect Series events for three-year-old trotters — three for fillies, two for colts and geldings — served as undercard features. Fillion teamed with trainer Jean-François Maguire for two of the winners: filly Silver Pride ($2.70, 1:58.1) and gelding Super Green ($15.40, 1:56.3). Timeless ($2.80, 1:58.1), driven by Byron for trainer Matt Bax, and Makina Run For It ($14, 1:58.1), with Young aboard for Alan Fair, won the other filly divisions; Magic Liam ($5.20, 1:57.1) was the other victorious male trotter for Boyd and Guy Gagnon.

Amanda Riley led all trainers with three wins on the 13-race card, partnering with Boyd to win with Starlit Millertime ($4, 1:55.4), Denimdan Delight ($4.40, 1:56.3) and Tellit Russ Tellit ($2.10, 1:55.3).

For Saturday's complete harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results – Kawartha Downs.

(Standardbred Canada)