Leg one of the Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots for two-year-old trotting fillies was featured in four $22,200 divisions on Monday (July 17) evening at Woodbine Mohawk Park and All Out Marilyn posted the fastest time of her classmates.
All Out Marilyn capped off the OSS Grassroots action on the evening card with a mile in 1:57.3, charting the fastest time of the four divisions.
Beach Bank (Trevor Henry) left hard from post two to take the lead in the field of eight as All Out Marilyn (Louis-Philippe Roy) got away in the pocket trip. The field remained single file and unchanged through the opening panel in :28.1 and half in :58.4. Rhythm Of Life (James MacDonald) pulled first over and led a charge that split the field in two with four in, four out at the three-quarters in 1:29.2. Down the stretch, the battle focused on All Out Marilyn and Rhythm Of Life as it came down to the wire. All Out Marilyn stuck her neck out in front to win by 1:57.3 over the favoured Rhythm Of Life. West River Ivory (Paul MacDonell) finished third.
Pam Forgie trains the upset winner, who paid $19.30 to win, for David Wilkinson. All Out Marilyn collected her first win in two career starts.
R Liza won her division by a half-length in 1:58.3 for trainer Susie Kerwood.
Jody Jamieson and R Liza never found the pylons as they were locked on the outside through the opening panel in :28.3, a panel that was led by Gaming Queen (Sylvain Filion). Jamieson urged the freshman filly forward and they took the lead, but only for a short moment as Shetrotsalot (Henry) took over at the half in :59. Muscle Charm (Doug McNair) led a strong outer charge, taking over command as her followers from the outside pushed R Liza back to fifth at the three-quarters in 1:28.4. Jamieson maneuvered R Liza through heavy traffic in the stretch to reach out and grab the win by a half-length. Tea Lake (Richard Zeron) was second and Shetrotsalot took third.
R Liza, a two-year-old daughter of Muscle Mass, earned her first win in her first career start for the partnership of M And L Of Delaware LLC and Alabama Harness Associate. She paid $3.20 to win.
Birthday Money earned herself some 'birthday money,' $11,100 to be exact, after she won the card opener for trainer Matt Bax in 2:00.3.
James MacDonald sent Birthday Money flying out of the gate, but accepted the pocket after C Kan Trot (Scott Young) stormed to the top from post eight. After an uneventful opening panel in :29.2, MacDonald pulled his right line and took the lead for a brief split as Crystal Lady (McNair) took over before the 1:00.4 half. A miscue by the leader at the three-quarters in 1:31.2 gave favoured Birthday Money open clearance on the front. C Kan Trot met Birthday Money eye-to-eye around the final turn, but Birthday Money pressed on to win by 2-3/4 lengths. Damsel Seelster (Roy) rounded out the triactor.
Bax Stable and Marshall Bax co-own Birthday Money, who earned first career victory in her second outing. The daughter of Resolve paid $3.20 to win.
Sue Anne upset the field with a victory in 2:00.4 in her Grassroots division.
Louis-Philippe Roy and the Eric Nadeau trainee had the far outside and odds of 9-1 in the field scratched down to seven trotters. Tequila Sunset (MacDonald) earned the lead from the rail and was followed by Karens Dream (Beau Brown), Ring The Alarm (McNair) and Sue Anne in fourth at the opening panel in :28.1 and half in :59.3. At the three-quarters in 1:29.3, Karens Dream made a move on the leader and her effort was followed by Her Currency (Bob McClure), who overcame an early miscue, and Sue Anne. Karens Dream took off in the stretch drive to open up on her competitors, but Sue Anne rallied at the last second to win. Her Currency sped from the far outside, but was bested by a head by the winner, finishing second. Karens Dream took third.
Sue Anne won her career debut for owners Louis-Philippe Roy, Pierre-Luc Roy, Maude Larouche and Jean Allaire. The Muscle Mass filly paid $18.80 to win.
To view Monday's harness racing results, click the following link: Monday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.