Last year’s Ontario Sires Stakes driving champion Sylvain Filion piloted a pair of two-year-old trotting colts to Grassroots victory at Mohawk Racetrack on Monday, July 15.
The Milton resident made his first appearance in the winner’s circle following the third Grassroots division, guiding Northern Idol to a surprising one and a half length victory. The lightly regarded son of Kadabra and $248,972 winner Independent Woman took control heading by the halfway marker and never looked back, cruising home to a 2:00.3 victory.
Filion engineered the victory for trainer Rob Fellows of Rockwood and his partners Synerco Ventures Inc. of Toronto and Blair Corbeil of Beaumont, Alta. The win was the gelding’s first in two starts. In the June 29 Grassroots season opener at Kawartha Downs, Northern Idol made a break and finished seventh.
Filion’s second victory came in the final $18,000 division with favourite Whichamacallit, who reeled in the leaders through the stretch to chart a one and a quarter length victory in 2:00.2. Filion piloted the Deweycheatumnhowe son to victory in his first lifetime start for trainer Dustin Jones of Campbellville and owner Ecurie Synergie of Montreal, Que., who offered up $75,000 for the young trotter at last fall’s Harrisburg Yearling Sale.
The wins will maintain Filion’s current position atop the 2013 driver’s standings, but the reinsman is under heavy pressure from Moffat resident Jody Jamieson, who piloted Maximuscle to the fastest mile of the five Grassroots divisions Monday. The Angus Hall son stopped the teletimer at 1:58.1, five and one-half lengths ahead of his peers. Eric Valiquette trains Maximuscle for owner-breeder Ecurie Provoquante of Mirabel, Que.
The other Grassroots division winners were R Choochoo Charlie (by Muscle Mass) and Trevor Henry in 2:00.4 for trainer Shane Weber and Pasadena Star (by Kadabra) and Randy Waples in 1:59.3 for trainer Bob McIntosh.
The two-year-old trotting colts make their third Grassroots start at Georgian Downs on July 30. Next on Mohawk Racetrack’s Ontario Sires Stakes calendar are the Mid-Summer Challenges for the two-year-old pacing colts and fillies on Friday, July 19.
To view Monday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Monday Results - Mohawk Racetrack.
(With files from OSS)