Sophomore pacer Modern Era will make his Ontario Sires Stakes debut at Rideau Carleton Raceway on Sunday evening, and the gelding has his tender feet to the fire in a Grassroots division stacked with 1:52 pacers
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“We’re going to give him a shot anyway. We’ll see if he can cut it and then go from there,” says owner Brian Cassell of Gloucester, ON. “It would’ve been nicer if he’d had a softer division.”
Among the eight horses Modern Era will battle in Sunday’s Grassroots season opener are undefeated Southview Anand from Post 2; freshman Grassroots Semifinalist OK Canada from Post 3; recent 1:51.4 winner Grin Big from Post 5; freshman Grassroots Final runner-up Raging Grin from Post 7; and recent 1:52 winner Royal Artist from Post 9.
“He’s in pretty tough,” laments Cassell, who shares ownership on the Modern Art son with Mike Romanelli of Boisbriand, QC.
Unraced as a two-year-old, Modern Era has accumulated three wins, three seconds and one third in eight starts this season for earnings of $17,614. Robert Robinson trains the young pacer, and Cassell gives the Metcalfe, ON resident full credit for Modern Era’s early season success.
“Robbie Robinson actually found the horse,” explains the owner. “Robbie’s got a really good eye for a horse, he can pick them.
“Robbie got him and developed him into a nice little horse,” he adds. “He’s been consistent, that’s the biggest thing. He’s a cheque getter.”
Robinson plucked Modern Era out of the Harrisburg Mixed Sale last November, offering up $6,500 U.S. for the son of Modern Art and Lisball, who is a Presidential Ball half-sister to $2.27 million superstar Lis Mara. Sold for $35,000 as a yearling, Modern Era had qualified several times under Joe Holloway’s tutelage, but was scratched sick out of his only two-year-old race engagement.
The gelding made his racing debut in a non-winners of one race contest at Rideau Carleton on April 8, finishing second by half a length in 2:01. Modern Era and Robinson then posted two straight 1:57.4 victories over the Ottawa oval, followed by two straight runner-up efforts in 1:57.3. In mid-May Cassell sent the gelding to trainer Richard Moreau at Georgian Downs and Modern Era responded to the change with an impressive six length victory in a personal best 1:55.
On June 5 Moreau shipped the pacer to Flamboro Downs for an overnight event, where he finished third, then brought him back to Georgian Downs for a June 15 non-winners of two races contest. Starting from Post 9, Modern Era spotted the field 11 lengths before sprinting home to a fifth-place finish, two lengths off the 1:55.1 pace.
“He came a back half in :56 and a bit and a last quarter in :28.2,” notes Cassell of the gelding’s last outing. “He’s got a nice brush coming for home.
“He’s got the four-hole Sunday; hopefully he’ll get good position off the gate.”
Modern Era is now back in Robinson’s care and Simon Allard will steer the gelding from Post 4 in Sunday’s intimidating Grassroots field, which goes postward as Race 10 on the 15 race card.
Rideau Carleton Raceway’s Sunday evening program gets under way at 6:30 p.m., with the high speed Ontario Sires Stakes colts battling for Grassroots glory in Races 2, 3, 5, 7, 10 and 11.
(Ontario Sires Stakes)
To view Sunday’s entries, click here.