Crunchintheodds, coming off a fifth-place finish on debut in the Tompkins-Geers, won the fastest of three $25,000 first-leg divisions of the Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots for two-year-old trotting males on Thursday, July 10 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Tyler Borth sent the freshman on a front-stepping mission, floating him out from post eight and getting him to the top on the first turn. Crunchintheodds settled onto the lead before the quarter in :28 and strolled to the half in :58, continuing to cruise into the final bend. He increased speed at three-quarters in 1:27.2 to rebuff the first-over favourite Tango In The Night (James MacDonald), then powered away from the field to an effortless 4-1/4-length victory in 1:56.2. Stardust Joe (Trevor Henry) rallied after a brief break in stride to get up for place over Mike Me Up (Louis-Philippe Roy). The winner returned $8.
Crunchintheodds, trained by Blake MacIntosh, is now one-for-two with $14,862 in earnings. Glenn Dyke owns the son of Green Manalishi S-Karoon, who went for $37,000 at the London Classic Yearling Sale.
First Class Mass ($9.30) took the first division for a debut victory for trainer Dave Menary. Jody Jamieson sent him to the front on the backstretch, and the Muscle Mass-July gelding fended off a final turn attack before rolling home to prevail in 1:56.3 by 2-1/2 lengths. Clinton Guitard and Haryott Stables Inc. own the gelding, a $41,667 Harrisburg purchase.
The Green Gazoo ($3.30) completed the first leg, drawing off by four lengths down the stretch to best the third group in 1:57. Roy piloted the debuting son of Green Manalishi S-Tommi My Girl for conditioner Clark Beelby, who shares ownership in the $76,389 Harrisburg buy with Coyote Wynd Farms.
The two-year-old colt trotters will contest their next Grassroots leg on July 30 at Grand River Raceway.
Hillbilly Jet ($18.50) produced a mild upset in the $16,000 Pop-Up Series Final on the card, winning by two lengths in 1:53 with James MacDonald at the lines. Cam McQueen trains the 11-year-old Ponder-Adept Yankee mare for owner Carl Davidson. The series was for $8,000 claiming fillies and mares that were non-winners of $5,000 in their previous five starts.
Leading driver James MacDonald won half of the evening’s 10 races, further increasing his commanding lead in the standings. He started the card with a double, winning with Twin B Fierce ($6) and Solo C P ($5.10), added a third with Sweet Lovin Lou ($3.10) in the fourth race, took the sixth dash behind Dad ($2.80), and completed the quintuple with Hillbilly Jet. The reinsman is now winning at a 21.1 per cent clip this year as he aims for is fifth straight Driver of the Year title.
To view Thursday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Thursday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada)