Friday’s Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots event at Flamboro Downs was a must win situation for three-year-old trotting colt Sombrero Hall if he hoped to extend his sophomore campaign into the post season
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Taking full advantage of a post position draw that saw him lined up next to the rail, driver Stephen Byron hustled Sombrero Hall away from the starting gate to a :28.4 quarter and then refused to let challenger Mork N Lindy (Per Henriksen) get by, hitting the half in :57.3 and the three-quarters in 1:27.4. Turning for home, Sombrero Hall was still under pressure, but on Friday the Striking Sahbra son had enough in reserve to kick home to a three and one-quarter length victory in 1:58.4.
Mork N Lindy finished second and Amigo Loco (Anthony MacDonald), owned by Robert Burgess of Campbellville, Ont. and Ron Molendyk of Rockwood, Ont. finished third.
Although he has recently found the winner’s circle in overnight action, Friday’s victory was Sombrero Hall’s first in two years of Ontario Sires Stakes competition and gave him the boost he needed to land a spot in the Oct. 16 Grassroots Semifinal at Western Fair Raceway.
John Bax trains Sombrero Hall for Glengate Farms of Campbellville, Ont., Parkhill Stud Farm of Peterborough, Ont., Don Allensen of Camlachie, Ont., and Harry Locke of Oshawa, Ont.. The gelding boasts a sophomore record of three wins, three seconds and four thirds in 18 starts for earnings of $53,910. Of those 18 starts, five were in the Grassroots program, and Sombrero Hall wrapped up the regular season with 124 points from one win, two seconds and two thirds, moving him from 21st to 10th in the standings.
Shane Arsenault and Scott Zeron teamed up for the second day in a row to capture a Grassroots trophy at Flamboro. Zeron guided fan favourite Lexis D J to a two and three-quarter length win in the first $24,000 division, besting Ja El Express (Randy Waples) and Tymal Time (Wayne Henry) and stopping the teletimer at 1:58.3.
Shane Arsenault trains Lexis D J for his father Louis Arsenault of Freelton, Ont. In 16 sophomore starts the Amigo Hall gelding has accumulated seven wins, one second and one third, earning $66,630. He heads into the Grassroots post season in a tie for sixth spot in the standings with 150 points earned through three Grassroots victories.
Friday’s victory was too little too late for Victom AS, whose 58 point tally fell well short of the cut off for one of 16 post season berths. Larry Small crafted the front end victory for Victom As, who fought off a fierce challenge from fan favourite Keystone Swagger (Mike Saftic) through the last quarter to record a well earned 1:58.1 victory. Keystone Swagger finished one and one-quarter lengths back in second, while Pull Up My Socks (Simon Allard) was six lengths to the rear in third.
John Drennan trains Victom As, who recorded a personal best with the win. Emma Stable of Burlington, Ont. owns the son of Striking Sahbra, who has two wins, two seconds and one third to his credit through 11 starts this season and a bank balance of $26,050.
Fuel Cell scored the quickest win of the five Grassroots divisions, hitting the wire in 1:57.2 off a come from behind effort that saw him stick a neck in front of fan favourite Boogie Woogie. Keith Oliver of Lynden, Ont. owns, trains and drives Boogie Woogie, who was two and three-quarter lengths ahead of third-place finisher Poof K (Jason Brewer).
Recently purchased out of the John Bax stable by trainer Isabelle Darveau and owner Barry Farber of Austin, Texas, Fuel Cell has one win, two thirds and one fifth in five Grassroots starts for a total of 79 points, just shy of the 88 required for a spot on the gate in the Semifinal. The Mutineer gelding boosted his sophomore record to three wins, one second and four thirds in 16 starts with the win, which was engineered by driver Anthony MacDonald.
The other Grassroots division saw Northern Spark reel in favourite Incredible Kadabra (Stephen Byron) through the stretch to score a 1:58 victory. Paiging Kadabra (Garrett Whelan), owned by Ted Perioris of Oakville, Ont. rounded out the top three.
Scott Coulter piloted the Angus Hall gelding to the win for trainer Ted MacDonnell and owners Stake Your Claim Stable of Secaucus, New Jersey and John Petracci Jr. of Woodbury, New Jersey. Northern Spark finished the regular season in eighth spot in the sophomore trotting colt standings, recording two wins, one second, one third and one fourth in his five Grassroots starts.
The top 16 point earners will head to Western Fair Raceway in London, Ont. for a pair of $30,000 Grassroots Semifinals on Oct. 16. The top four finishers from each Semifinal will make their way back to London on Oct. 23 for the $100,000 Grassroots Championship.
Both the Grassroots regular season and Flamboro Downs’ 2010 Ontario Sires Stakes season wrap up tomorrow when the three-year-old pacing colts battle in four $24,000 Grassroots skirmishes. Post time for Saturday’s program is 1 p.m.
To view Friday's results, click here.
(With files from OSS)