Jody Jamieson will drive one horse in every Grassroots Final at Rideau Carleton Raceway on Sunday evening, and the reinsman believes all eight of his mounts have the potential to capture their division title
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"It looks like I have a shot in every one," says Jamieson. "I’m sure that’s not going to happen, but I’m sure going to try and win every one."
Jamieson captured nine Grassroots Semifinals at Rideau Carleton Raceway last weekend, six on Friday and three more on Sunday. The six win night was the fourth this season for the reinsman, who has his sights set on not one, but two, 2009 driving titles.
As of October 25, Jamieson led all Canadian drivers in two categories, having piloted 613 winners to earnings of $9,050,950 at Canadian racetracks. The Cambridge resident is also in the running for the North American dash title, currently ranked first with 638 wins, eight wins ahead of second ranked Jason Bartlett and 37 ahead of Dave Palone.
"I was on pace through the first four months to tie Mark MacDonald’s win record [741 wins at Canadian racetracks]," notes Jamieson. "So I thought, why not keep trying and when September rolls around I’ll take a look and see if I have a shot."
Come September Jamieson found he was not only still on pace to match MacDonald’s record, he was in the running for the North American dash title, so the competitive reinsman added that to his list of goals for the 2009 season.
"So the first goal was to break the record, and the second goal was to win a dash title, and all these are real on October 30," notes Jamieson. "I’m going to enough cards of racing each week to maintain the pace I’m on — to maintain the record pace, and maintain the dash title pace.
"At this point, I’m just thankful for the support people have shown me. People have been just so gracious and just so supportive, it really makes it worthwhile," he adds.
Although Jamieson did not compete in many Grassroots events this summer, he decided weeks ago to make the trip to Rideau Carleton Raceway for the Semifinals and Finals. Once word got out that Canada’s leading reinsman would be on hand, Jamieson had no shortage of mounts for the Semifinals. Among the trainers that decided to put his skills to use was Lansdowne resident Mark Steacy, and the two combined for one victory on Friday and two on Sunday.
Among the Steacy-trained winners on Sunday’s three-year-old program was pacing colt Mild Mannered, and when the Mach Three son drew the advantageous rail for this weekend’s $100,000 Final, Jamieson was presented with the only real dilemma he faced when selecting his mounts for the championship round.
"The hardest pick I had was Mild Mannered on the rail and My Gift To You from the six-hole," admits Jamieson, who drove both colts to Semifinal wins. "Jeff Gillis and I are partners in business and we’re friends, and I told Mark Steacy right at the start that I was committed to one horse in the Semifinal, and that was My Gift To You, but I kind of contemplated going with Mild Mannered.
"I ended up going with My Gift To You," he concludes. "That was the toughest choice. The rest were self explanatory."
The other horses Jamieson will steer on Sunday are two-year-old trotting filly Canada Cool for Mark Steacy from Post 2 in the second race; two-year-old pacing filly Lyons Anitacol for trainer Bill Robinson from Post 5 in the third race; two-year-old trotting colt Hava Kadabra for Steacy from Post 7 in Race 4; three-year-old pacing filly Star Of Show for Steacy from Post 8 in Race 5; three-year-old trotting filly Easter Bonnet for trainer Duncan Brewer from Post 4 in the sixth race; three-year-old trotting colt Play Right for trainer Scott West from Post 7 in the eighth race; and two-year-old pacing colt Twin B Warrior from Post 2 in the ninth race for friend and business partner Jeff Gillis.
Rideau Carleton Raceway’s first race rolls in behind the starting gate at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, with the Grassroots Finals slated for Races 2 through 6 and 8 through 10.
To view Sunday's harness racing entries, click here.
(OSS)