Sylvain Filion turned a Sunday evening outing to Ottawa into a profitable venture with a hat trick of Grassroots victories aboard a trio of talented two-year-old pacing fillies
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The reinsman kick-started his evening with a 1:58 score aboard first time starter Mississippi Queen, who sprinted home to a one and one-quarter length victory over Tymal Trilogy and fan favourite Artxzipit.
Mississippi Queen delivered an impressive effort in her first lifetime start, as she rolled up from off the pace to catch the leaders. Millar Farms of Newmarket, Ont. bred and own the daughter of Jeremes Jet and $798,227 winner Serious Comfort. Eric Adams handles training duties on the youngster.
Filion was back in the winner’s circle following the second $24,000 Grassroots division, where he drove Mach Three filly Eat Me Up to a dominant seven and one-quarter length victory for owner-trainer David Ratchford of North Sydney, NS. Canjet and Sunflower were well back in second and third, respectively.
Eat Me Up sailed across the finish line in 1:58.3. In doing so, she peeled four full seconds off her personal best.
Gord Brown prevented Filion from making a clean sweep of the Grassroots divisions with his victory in Race 8 with Eric Adams trainee Mindsweeper. The pair swept down the stretch to a 1:59.2 victory over Lismaraslady and favourite Driving Miss Deo.
A second generation product of the Millar Farms breeding operation, Mindsweeper is the fourth foal from $260,829 winner Catch A Wish, one of several outstanding racehorses produced by the Newmarket nursery’s top broodmare Little Black Book.
The final Grassroots division found Milton, Ont. resident Sylvain Filion back in front of the grandstand with Memumsnotnice, who was a comfortable two and one-half length winner in 1:59.1. Fan favourite Elegant Mach carved all the fractions, but had to settle for second. Keystone Chianti rounded out the top three.
Le Gardeur, QC resident Colin Johnson trains Memumsnotnice and shares ownership of the filly with Gilles Caouette of Garson, Ont., Claude Baril of Mascouche, Que., and Fred Brayford of Alliston, Ont. The daughter of Jeremes Jet and $118,141 winner Bunny Town was a relatively modest $15,000 purchase from the 2010 Canadian Open Yearling Sale, and her owners will be hoping she can follow in the footsteps of $206,180 winning half-sister Carolina Moon.
The two-year-old pacing fillies will make the third stop on their Grassroots tour at Georgian Downs on August 13. Fans of the OSS program will be back at Rideau Carleton Raceway on Monday evening for the $130,000 Gold final for the exciting two-year-old pacing colts, which will feature elimination winners Warrawee Needy and Best Ears. First-race post time for Monday’s program is 4:30 p.m., and the colts will be featured in Race 5.
For results from Sunday's card of harness racing, please click the following link: Sunday Results - Rideau Carleton Raceway.
(OSS)