Three-year-old pacing colts and gelding competing in the Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots program invaded Sudbury Downs on Saturday night and toppled the divisional track records.
Smokin Bear, Addwater and Machapelo turned in 1:54.4 matching victories to lower Whitesand Noble's track record for sophomore male pacers by one-fifth of a second, but Fiesty Flyer later lowered that mark by one more tick.
Aaron Byron won with the grey gelding, Smokin Bear, who nosed out favourite Lucky Jet for a career-best victory in the first division for Hamilton, Ont. trainer and co-owner Dean Nixon and New York partners Harry and Iris Horowitz. Unraced as a freshman, the homebred son of Grinfromeartoear and Smokin Pistol notched his fifth win in 13 starts.
Joe Pereira trainee Addwater was a wire-to-wire winner in his division giving Byron a driving double. The Mach Three-Symphony Bay colt won by more than two lengths over Life Signature with Kendal Gustav back in third. The former Gold starter earned his third win in 11 seasonal starts for The Merks Stable of New York.
Last year's Super Final runner-up Machapelo, driven by Jason Brewer, cleared to command after the opening quarter mark in his split and cruised home for the five and three-quarter length victory over Coach Cal and Blade Seelster. The popular Mach Three-Capelo Rose colt is trained by Mike Keeling for owner-breeder Enviro Stables Ltd. of New York. The win was his first in five seasonal starts.
Favourite Fiesty Flyer later romped to a five and three-quarter length record-setting victory, his third in a row, with Jonathan Drury in the bike for trainer Casie Coleman and owner-breeder Robert Hamather of Exeter, Ont. Random Mission and Tylers Great finished second and third. The Camluck-So Fiesty gelding now boasts four wins and one second in five starts. His last was also in Grassroots action at Clinton Raceway on June 10.
The other divisions were won by a pair of Mach Three sons. The Mark Horner-trained Franceschetti took a new mark of 1:55.3 with Mike Horner in the bike and Kevin Riley pupil Espen De Vie matched that mile time for driver Dan Clements.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Sudbury Downs.