In the second last regular season Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots event, at Mohawk Racetrack on Friday evening, Western Bayama proved he belongs at the top of the three-year-old pacing colt standings.

Starting from post eight in the last of four $18,000 Grassroots divisions, Western Bayama and driver Sylvain Filion used enough power to land in fourth on the rail as favourites Jody Jamieson and Sporting The Look zipped out to a :27.2 opening quarter. As the pacesetters reached the :57 half, Filion fired Western Bayama up the outer lane and took clear command of the lead before the 1:24.3 three-quarters.

Turning for home with a three and one-half length lead, Western Bayama and Filion sailed under the wire one and a half lengths on top in 1:52.3, a new personal best for the colt. Dialamara and Sporting The Look attempted to rally in the stretch, but had to settle for second and third.

“Western Bayama was very good tonight. We might have caught Jody off guard,” said Milton, Ont. resident Filion about his third-quarter sweep to the front. “He’s a nice little horse with a lot of speed, and he’s very handy.

“I’ve got to give trainer Stephane Larocque credit for having him fresh and good,” added the reinsman, who currently tops the Ontario Sires Stakes driver standings with 400 points.

Carlisle, Ont. resident Larocque conditions Western Bayama for owner/breeder Bayama Farms Inc. of Saint-Andre-D’Argenteuil, Que. Through the first five Grassroots events, the colt has posted three wins, one second and one fourth for a total of 183 points.

Driver Randy Waples and trainer Bob McIntosh took two of the other three Grassroots divisions, teaming up with Artful Way in the second split and Thinkofagameplan in the third.

Starting from post five, Artful Way rang up all the fractions on his way to a 1:52.3 clocking, digging in down the stretch to hold off mild favourite Mach Code and claim the half-length victory. Twin B Scandal finished two lengths back in third.

Windsor, Ont. resident McIntosh bred, owns and trains Artful Way, who jumped to second in the division standings with the win, also his third in Grassroots action. In addition to his trio of wins, the Artistic Fella son has one third and one fifth for a total of 167 points.

In the third division Milton, Ont. resident Waples once again opted to control the tempo and fan favourite Thinkofagameplan rolled along through fractions of :27.1, :57 and 1:26 before battling down the stretch to a neck victory over Filion and Ace Of Clubs in 1:53.2. The Fire Within was one and one-quarter lengths behind the leaders in third.

Friday’s win came in Thinkofagameplan’s first appearance in the Grassroots program. The Ponder colt started his Ontario Sires Stakes season at the Gold Series level, logging one third, one fourth and one seventh before McIntosh decided to alter course. The Hall of Fame horseman shares ownership of the homebred with Al McIntosh Holdings Inc. of Leamington, Ont.

Favourite Southwind Indy posted the fastest time of the four Grassroots divisions, sailing under the wire in a personal best 1:51.3 to kick off the evening’s Ontario Sires Stakes action. The Sportswriter gelding and driver Steve Condren bested Make Some Luck by one and three-quarter lengths, with Waples and McIntosh trainee Regal Sight rounding out the top three.

Milton, Ont. resident Condren crafted the win for trainer Casie Coleman of Cambridge, Ont., West Wins Stable of Cambridge, Ont., Steve Calhoun of Chatham, Ont. and breeder Southwind Farms LLC of Pennington, New Jersey. In four Grassroots starts, Southwind Indy has two wins, one second and one third for 137 points and sole ownership of fifth spot in the division standings.

The top 20 colts in the standings following the regular season finale at Grand River Raceway on Sept. 2 will qualify for the Sept. 18 Semi-finals at Mohawk. The top five finishers from each Semi-final will secure a berth in the $50,000 Grassroots Championship at the Campbellville oval on Sept. 26.

To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Mohawk Racetrack.

(OSS)