Three-year-old pacing fillies of the Ontario Sires Stakes were front and centre at
Warrawee Xpat took charge early and then rallied late to capture the opening division in 1:54 for driver Jody Jamieson and trainer Gabby Sasso.
Jamieson hustled the 1-2 favourite to the lead from Post 6 and had the field chasing her to the quarter pole in :27.4. Raptors Won marched to the top in the backstretch and went on to set middle splits of :57.1 and 1:26 before being hauled down. Warrawee Xpat re-emerged from the pocket and fired home in :27.4 to win by a head over Morethanmyhometown in 1:54. Queen Of Soul was third.
The daughter of Sportswriter-Greenwich Girl is owned by Jeff Courchesne and Martwest Racing Stable. They’ve watched the filly assemble a 2-5-0 record from her seven starts this season. The five-time winner has banked close to $90,000 to date.
Girl In A Tavern drilled her way to the lead in the second division, and that proved to be the winning move for driver Louis-Philippe Roy.
The daughter of Big Jim-Drinking Games left hard from Post 4 and had the field chasing her through fractions of :27.2, :57.1 and 1:25 before kicking home in :28 to win by a head over a pocket-sitting Sake Tumi in 1:53. Quebecoise was third.
Teesha Symes trains the sophomore for owner Donald Macrae of
Momentarily also took a front-stepping approach for driver Roy to capture the third division of the OSS Grassroots in the very next race.
Delight Bayama sprinted to the top from Post 9 but Momentarily marched up for Roy and took over command shortly past the :27.2 opening quarter. Momentarily sped through middle stations of :55.4 and 1:23.1 before cranking out :27.2 speed on the end of the mile. She drew away to win by 2-1/2 lengths over Delight Bayama in 1:50.3. J One Twenty rounded out the Trifecta ticket.
Trainer Dan Lagace shares ownership on the daughter of Control The Moment-Sun N Moon with Ben Mudry, Edwin Buhler and Robert Van Ostrand. The partners have watched the filly assemble a 2-0-0 record from six trips postward this year. To date, she’s a five-time winner with earnings in excess of $57,000.
I Love Ongait also took a front-end approach to find her way to victory lane for the first time this season in what was the final division of Tuesday’s Grassroots action.
James MacDonald got away third with the 6-5 favourite while Big Bettor Hanover and Addictivebehaviour battled to the quarter pole in :27 before the latter cleared to the top. I Love Ongait brushed to the lead when the dust settled, and she went on to supply the field with middle fractions of :55.1 and 1:22.4. She then kicked home in :28 to win by a length over Fade Out in 1:50.4. Addictivebehaviour was third.
Dr. Ian Moore trains the daughter of Sunshine Beach-So In Love for Let It Ride Stables Inc, Bottom Line Racing and Mac Nichol. The win was her first of the season and the second of her career. The lifetime best performance bumped her bankroll over $175,000.
To view results for Tuesday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Tuesday Results –