Driver Austin Sorrie uncorked the Big Jim gelding Big Dream Fella moving for the final turn and the Wayne McGean trainee delivered a head decision to score the fastest win of six Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) Grassroots divisions for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings on Sunday night (July 17) at Georgian Downs.
Sorrie settled his charge in fourth while Slick N Quick cleared control to a :27.2 first quarter and faced no challenge to a :57.3 half. Big Dream Fella grabbed cover from a first-over move by Sharky into the backside, but the quickening tempo promptly stalled the outer tier and forced Sorrie to send Big Dream Fella three wide. Swooping towards the pacesetter after three-quarters in 1:25.1, Big Dream Fella dug into Slick N Quick through the lane to hold a head in front at the beam in a 1:53.2 mile. Shadows Terror finished third, another six lengths behind, with Ahi Sunshine fourth.
Capers 3 Stable owns Big Dream Fella, who broke his maiden in his second start and pushed his bankroll to $12,180. He paid $5.80 to win.
D A Home Stretch ground first over to land as the 6-5 favourite in the first Grassroots section. Driver Jody Jamieson pulled the Jack Darling pupil from fourth after a :27.2 first quarter and made a steady advance towards tempo-setter Teen Tattler into a :57.4 half and through three-quarters in 1:25.4. D A Home Stretch loomed to within a length of the lead coming for home and easily slid by the tiring Teen Tattler to post a 1-1/2-length win in 1:54.4. Better Option rallied from second over for third and pocket-sitter Best Shadow gave chase in fourth.
Jack Darling owns D A Home Stretch through his Jack Darling Stables Ltd. He won his first race at third asking and has now earned $12,940. He paid $4.40 to win.
Odds-on choice Wall Street Bell strolled to a 1:55.3 win in the third split. The Shadow Play colt protected position from the pylon post for the lead and never saw another rival through splits of :28.1, :57.3 and 1:26 in progress to a three-length win in 1:55.3. Murrays Watching gave pursuit to finish second while pocket-sitter Network Seelster settled for third and Red Coin finished the best of the rest in fourth.
Blake MacIntosh conditions Wall Street Bell for owners Hutt Racing Stable, Ozzie Mackay, Veikko Pajunen and Penny of Hope Stables. He won his second race from four starts and has now accrued $24,520 in purses. James MacDonald steered the $2.20 winner.
In the following race, Wise Thinking powered through a first-over push to score a 10-1 upset in the fourth Grassroots split. After Winmebak circled to the lead following a :28 first quarter, driver Trevor Henry got underway with Wise Thinking and charged for the front past a :58.2 half. The Thinking Out Loud gelding matched strides with Winmebak to three-quarters in 1:26.2 and exhausted the leader off the final turn, though Santana Hanover sprung out of pocket and into contention late. However Wise Thinking held his ground and kept a head in front of Santana Hanover to stop the clock in 1:55.1. Winmebak finished third and Delightful Leader took fourth.
Trainer Robert McIntosh co-owns Wise Thinking through his Robert McIntosh Stables Inc. with C S X Stables and Dave Boyle. He won his first race from three starts and has now earned $13,050. Wise Thinking paid $23.90 to win.
Driver Sylvain Filion took the lead with Thong Control and coasted to a 1:53.4 win in the penultimate division. The Jean Tourigny-trained son of Control The Moment posted splits of :28.1, :57.2 and 1:26 under minimal pressure before sprinting to the finish and passing the beam 2-1/2 lengths better than pocket-sitter Rodman. Picksixking took third and Sergeant Slaughter closed for fourth.
Tourigny co-owns Thong Control with Steve Garceau and Roland Trudel. He won his first race from four starts and pushed his earnings to $15,580. Thong Control paid $4.40 to win.
Similar speed tactics placed Parsons in the winner’s circle after the last Grassroots division. Shooting from post six, Parsons took over the lead from The Golden Jet after a :28.1 first quarter and snagged a breather to a :57.2 half before upping the tempo to three-quarters in 1:25.4. From there, the Shadow Play colt meandered home a 2-1/4 length winner over The Golden Jet in 1:54. All Attitude finished third and Speak Of War took fourth.
Parsons races for owner Tess Waxman. Richard Moreau trains the first-time winner and earner of $16,580 who paid $6.90 to win.
To view Sunday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results – Georgian Downs.