Driver Bob McClure was red-hot on Monday, July 14 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, winning five of 11 races on the evening including a trio of $25,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots divisions.
McClure came out of the gates hot, winning the first three races on the card headed by the debutante Green Moni Queen ($19.80) in the first and fastest Grassroots split for two-year-old trotting fillies.
McClure floated away fifth with the 8-1 shot while Believe (Trevor Henry) swept down from post 10 to cut the quarter in :28.1 before being covered up by HP Sophia (Louis-Philippe Roy) to the half in :57.1. Green Moni Queen flushed the cover of Karmaisaqueen (Tyler Jones), who charged first-over at three-quarters in 1:26.4. Tipping off cover turning for home, Green Moni Queen charged to the top with a :29 final quarter to win in 1:56.2 by a length over Karmaisaqueen with HP Sophia finishing third.
Shawn Steacy trains the winning daughter of Green Manalishi S-Essence Of Lindy for owners Landmark 18 Racing Stable of Lansdowne, Ont., Stephen Downey of Quispamsis, N.B., Dan Mogridge of Coldwater, Ont., and Mark Steacy of Lansdowne, Ont.
McClure and Steacy teamed up in the third and final division for rookie trotting fillies with the Muscle Mass-Vegas Virgin filly, Elbows Up ($3.80), who won her career debut in front-end fashion in 1:58.3.
The other division for two-year-old trotting fillies was won by the Green Manalishi S-Alloveragain filly, Timeless ($4.60) in 1:56.4, with Todd Ratchford driving for trainer Matt Bax.
McClure also took the first of three Grassroots divisions for three-year-old trotting fillies when Oceanview Rumours ($3.30) romped in front-end fashion by 1-3/4-lengths in 1:55.2. Bred by Prince Edward Island's William and Scott Roloson who co-own the daughter of Green Manalishi S-Tyne Valley with Joey Aylward, the Shane Arsenault trainee has won nine of 16 lifetime for earnings of $82,997.
The other two divisions for three-year-old trotting fillies went to the Eric Nadeau-trained Bright Green ($4.90, Louis-Philippe Roy) in 1:54.3 and Foxy Amee ($2.40, Doug McNair), who romped in 1:53.4 for trainer Paul MacDonell.
McClure's two other victories on the night came with Rochester Flash ($20.70), who went from ninth to first in the final quarter in the 1:50 finale, and Phoenix ($3.10), who won in 1:53 in a Pop-Up Series division for trotters who are non-winners of $25,000 in 2025.
Devils Arch ($10.60, Jody Jamieson) took the second division of the Pop-Up Series in 1:53.2.
To view Monday's harness racing results, click the following link: Monday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada)