The Ontario Sires Stakes rolled into Grand River Raceway on Monday evening, and the tandem of driver Bob McClure and trainer Dave Menary dominated the event.
Three-year-old pacing fillies were in the spotlight at the Elora, Ont. oval as they did battle in six Grassroots divisions.
The Bob & Dave Show started with upsetter Westsluckycam posting a nose decision over This Day Forward in her assignment. The daughter of Camluck-Terror Of The West got away ninth and remained at the back of the bus through the opening half. She picked up cover in the backstretch and rolled three-wide at the three-quarter pole. Race favourite This Day Forward sliced out fractions of :27.3, :56.4 and 1:26.4, but she couldn’t fend off the late-driving Westsluckycam in the final stride. Third-place finisher Life Groove came up just a head short in what turned out to be a wild finish.
Jerry Clark of Finksburg, MD watched his filly post the 12-1 upset while lifting her lifetime earnings to $63,420. The eight-time winner is now 7-for 18 this season.
Menary and McClure struck again with Maniana, who was a popular winner in 1:54.1. The daughter of Sportswriter-Tomorrowpan rolled the field through panels of :28, :57.1 and 1:25.4 before stepping home in :28.2 to win by 5-1/2 lengths over Heavenly Bet. Startled took home the show dough.
W J Donovan of Pompano Beach, FL owns the sophomore who won for the first time this season. The two-time winner put away more than $95,000 as a rookie. She’s banked in excess of $110,000 to date.
Free Show gave McClure and Menary the OSS hat trick thanks to her 1:56.1 tally. The daughter of Badlands Hanover-Free Admission was treated to a ground-saving journey for the majority of the mile, but she shook loose late and stormed home in :29 to win by a half-length margin over Selling The Dream. Specialcelebration rounded out the Triactor ticket.
It was the first win of the season in seven attempts for Free Show, who went 4-for-10 last year while banking in excess of $205,000. Hutt Racing Stable of Paoli, PA owns the career winner of $228,623.
McClure also piloted Barbaras Shadow to an OSS win for trainer Rick Zeron. The daughter of Shadow Play-BabababaBarbarapan hustled the field through panels of :29, :58.2 and 1:27 before scooting home in :28.4 to win by a half-length margin over Im In Luv in 1:55.4. Third prize went to More Than Many.
Hutt Racing Stable of Paoli, PA owns the filly who won for the second straight start. The three-time winner boosted her bankroll to $28,780 with the win.
Ladyhardt used a come-from-behind approach to capture her Grassroots affair in 1:56.3 for driver Jack Moiseyev and trainer Howie Okusko, Jr. The filly picked up one position at every call during the mile before finding the front and drawing away to win by 2-1/2 lengths over Dewar N Soda in 1:56.3. Glorious Delight mixed it up early before fading to finish third.
The daughter of Vintage Master-Exotic Pleasure made it back-to-back wins for M And L Of Delaware LLC of Wilmington, DE. The seven-time winner has picked up six of those wins this season. Her lifetime earnings now sit at $26,266.
Killean Finale crushed her foes by 8-1/4 lengths in a sharp clocking of 1:56.4 for driver Jason Ryan and trainer Nick Gallucci. She raced through fractions of :28.2, :57.4 and 1:28.2 before slipping home in :28.2 en route to winning over Tahiti Seelster and Noone To Depend On.
Paul Tolmazoff of Bedford, NS owns the daughter of Sportswriter-Pumped, who improved this year’s record to 4-5-2 from 20 starts. The five-time winning lifted her lifetime earnings to $56,253 with the win.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Grand River Raceway.