Driver Travis Cullen's homebred Blue Glamber opened the second leg of the Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots Series for three-year-old pacing fillies with a 25-1 upset on Friday night (June 16) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Blue Glamber was the fastest of six Grassroots winners, prevailing off a pocket trip and dropping her lifetime mark to 1:51 for Cullen.
The quick-leaving Blue Glamber gave way to even-money favourite Starlight Dancer, who was dropping down from the Gold Series, at the quarter pole in :26.4 and followed from the pocket through middle splits of :54.2 and 1:21.4 before retaking the lead in the stretch for her first Sires Stakes victory. Mist Amber closed from the backfield to finish second, 1-1/4 lengths behind the upset winner, with Twin B Echo finishing third.
Blue Glamber was a third-place finisher in the opening leg of the Grassroots last month at Western Fair and came into the second round off back-to-back wins at Grand River Raceway. She returned $53.50 for a $2 win ticket.
The daughter of All Bets Off out of the $780,000-earning mare Sayitall BB is trained by Cullen's mom Jodie. Blue Glamber now has five wins from 20 career starts with the lion's share of the $22,600 purse bumping her earnings to $54,776.
Shawn Steacy had a training triple on Friday's 11-race card that included a pair of repeat Grassroots winners. Hutt Racing Stable's Twin Delight (Bettors Delight-Twin B Cheeks) turned in a 1:52 career-best performance in her division with Bob McClure in the bike and Century Jamila (Bettors Delight-Exotic Pleasure) took a new mark of 1:52.4 in rein to James MacDonald for owners K And K Stable, Landmark 15 Racing Stable, A K Malik Stable and David Reid.
Doug McNair drove the other three winners in Grassroots action, prevailing in 1:52.1 close calls with Bala (Sportswriter-Muskoka Moonlight) for trainer Peter Brickman, Mending Fences (Artspeak-Bridges To Tomorrow) for the Meg Crone stable and Sunburnt (Sunshine Beach-Amber Blue Chip) for conditoner Paul Cameron.
The three-year-old pacing fillies will meet again on July 25 for the third leg of the Grassroots Series at Mohawk.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.