Two-year-old pacing fillies strutted their stuff in five OSS Grassroots divisions at Mohawk Racetrack, and it turned out to be a banner night for trainer Ron Parsons, driver Trevor Henry and owner/breeder Bob Key.
Palette Tina thundered home in :25.4 to win the first division for that duo in 1:55.1. The Allamerican Native-Art Tina filly, who was last in the nine-filly affair at the mid-way point of the mile, watched Dancing Heart and Fiftyshadesofbay take turns on the lead through fractions of :27.4, :58.3 and 1:27.4. Palette Tina uncorked her magnificent rally in the late stages of the contest and drew clear to win by 2-3/4 lengths over Fiftyshadesofbay. Third prize went to Lady My Luck.
Bob Key of Leechburg, Pennsylvania bred and owns the youngster who upped her lifetime earnings to $9,656 with the win.
Missy Tap Tina gave Parsons, Henry and Key another trip to victory lane thanks to her 1:56.2 score. The undefeated daughter of Mister Big-Tap Tap Tina shot to the front and successfully whacked out fractions of :27.3, :58.3 and 1:28 before rocketing home in :28.2 to defeat Lady Jen and P L Impressive.
After breaking her maiden at The Meadows against overnight foes on July 2, the homebred lowered her lifetime record with her first start on Canadian soil.
Yellow Mustang used off-the-pace tactics to win her division in 1:55.2. The pari-mutuel favourite, who was making her debut, survived a first-over trip for driver Jack Moiseyev. She cruised to the win by 1-1/2 lengths over Shes A Pansation, with the show dough earned by Ride Away Shark.
Mike Bishop trains the daughter of Sportswriter-Best Tussle for Val Dor Farms of New Jersey and Ted Gewertz of New York. The filly was a $23,000 purchase from last year’s Harrisburg Yearling Sale.
Delightful Hill didn’t let a first-over trip keep her from finding her way to the winner’s circle in the third division. The homebred daughter of Art Colony-Uneek Delight, who was sent off at odds of 10-1, watched race favourite Amazing Control steal away with soft first-half panels of :28.4 and :59.4 before going into attack mode. She was first-over and pressing the leader to the three-quarter pole in 1:28.2, and despite that rugged trip she managed to out-sprint the public’s top choice to the line in 1:55.4. Amazing Control had to settle for second, while Mach Denali came on late to finish third.
Doug McNair mapped out the winning trip for the Tony Alagna trainee who is owned by Tom Hill of Lancashire, Great Britain.
Sassafras Girl tracked cover in the final half of her assignment and got up in the final strides for a 1:56.1 score for driver Rick Zeron. The daughter of Badlands Hanover-Tug River Della, who won her debut at Kawartha Downs in 1:57.3, watched race favourite Shes Dignified and Katie Snoops take turns on the lead through fractions of :28.1, :58.1 and 1:27.2. Zeron got her into the flow in the backstretch, and when he called on her to sprint turning for home she had more than enough pace to offer. She prevailed by half a length over Chase The Shadows. Rounding out the top three was Katie Snoops.
Murray Brethour trains the undefeated lass for Hutt Racing Stable of Paoli, Pennsylvania. She’s a half-sister to Rub N Tug (1:50.3 - $428,079).
To view results for Thursday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Thursday Results – Mohawk Racetrack.