When the two-year-old trotting colts arrive at Flamboro Downs on Thursday afternoon for their final Grassroots event of the regular season, fifth ranked colt Mr Joe Sixpack will be carrying a new set of colours
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Louis Arsenault acquired Mr Joe Sixpack on October 1 and the Freelton, ON resident is hoping the youngster can deliver another solid effort like the ones that have earned him 108 points through the first five regular season events.
“I’ve jogged him for two days, so we don’t know a lot about him,” says Arsenault, who helps his son, trainer Shane Arsenault, each morning. “We’re hoping for the best.”
Arsenault acquired Mr Joe Sixpack from Kjell Magne Andersen of Oslo, NOR, who offered up $25,000 for the son of Striking Sahbra and Bambino Lau at last fall’s Forest City Yearling Sale. Racing out of the Torgeir Hagmann barn the colt recorded one win, two seconds, one fourth and earnings of $25,920 appearing exclusively in the Grassroots program.
Mr Joe Sixpack’s consistent record, his size and his breeding all appealed to Arsenault, whose primary goal is to race the colt in the Ontario Sires Stakes program next season. The youngster is one of three trotters that Arsenault has acquired in recent weeks.
“He’s a big colt, and he hasn’t raced much,” says Arsenault of the half-brother to $378,265 winner Celebrity Deville. “He’s only got a few more races before we’re going to have to stop with him. He’s more for next year than he is for this year.”
In the few days Mr Joe Sixpack has been at Arsenault’s farm, his new owner and trainer have been getting acquainted with the colt, and so far they like what they see.
“You can tell he’s a two-year-old. I’ve got three three-year-olds too, and that one year makes a big difference,” says the owner. “I jogged him this morning and he’s all over the track. He’s not dirty or anything, he’s still a stud colt, but he’s not dirty, he’s just green, like a young kid.
“In the barn he’s good,” Arsenault continues. “And when you put him out in the paddock he likes to run and jump around.”
Mr Joe Sixpack trained on Monday morning in preparation for Thursday’s race, which will see him line up from Post 3 in the second $24,000 Grassroots division. Oakville, ON resident Scott Zeron, who currently sits second in the Ontario Sires Stakes driver’s standings, will steer the colt in a division that features division co-leader Chuckalo Caden from the outside Post 8 and tenth-ranked Deweys Timesr Good from the trailing Post 9.
The top 16 point earners at the conclusion of Thursday’s Grassroots battle will compete in a pair of $30,000 Semifinals at Western Fair Raceway on Oct. 15. One week later (Oct. 23) the top four finishers from each Semifinal will vie for the division title in the $100,000 Grassroots Championship.
Races 2, 7, 8, 10 and 11 on Tuesday’s afternoon program will be the last opportunity for the two-year-old trotting colts to earn points toward a post season berth. Flamboro Downs fans can catch all the excitement beginning at 1 p.m.
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To view Thursday’s entries, click here.