When Deliciouslynaughty paced across the finish line a Grassroots winner at Kawartha Downs on Saturday night, the two-year-old pacing filly won more than a Grassroots trophy and the lion’s share of $24,000
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With a commanding performance that saw her post the fastest mile of the entire evening, not just the Grassroots events, Deliciouslynaughty pencilled in an extra stakes engagement on her calendar.
“She’s paid into the Battle of the Belles, if she’s good enough,” said owner and breeder David Snowden prior to Saturday’s outing.
Contested at Grand River Raceway in Elora, the Battle of the Belles eliminations go postward on July 27, with the top finishers earning a shot at the $150,000 final on the track’s signature Industry Day program Aug. 3. Deliciouslynaughty’s 1:55.4 victory over Kawartha’s five-eighths mile oval on Saturday night compares favourably with the 1:55 and 1:55.2 the winners clocked in Gold elimination action over Mohawk Racetrack’s seven-eighths mile oval on July 13.
Trainer/driver Mark Etsell engineered the impressive victory for the Mach Three daughter, the third foal from Bowmanville resident Snowden’s mare Naught Enough Hare. Fan favourite Lyons Anitacol finished a length back in second, three-quarters of a length up on third-place finisher Tymal Dalia.
Etsell prepared Deliciouslynaughty for her Grassroots debut with a pair of qualifiers at Georgian Downs. In the first, on June 27, the filly made a break at the midway point in race, but on July 4 she was a flawless nine length victor in 1:58.4.
Kawartha Downs regular Gord Brown drew out a flawless performance from two Grassroots fillies on Saturday night. The Brighton resident kicked off the talent laden program with a 1:57.1 score aboard Twin B Sensual, who fought hard to hold off runner-up Bay Girl and to reel in early pacesetter Modern Arrow.
Cambridge resident James Koelln trains Twin B Sensual for his partner Terry Hamilton of Lethbridge, Alta. The pair purchased the Modern Art daughter out of last fall’s Forest City Yearling Sale for $24,000. Like Deliciouslynaughty, Twin B Sensual arrived at Kawartha Downs with a pair of qualifiers under her belt — a 2:02.2 effort at Flamboro Downs on July 3 and a 1:57.3 tour of Mohawk on July 10.
Brown made his second appearance in the Grassroots winner’s circle following the fifth race, tipping Bronwen Seelster out of the pocket at the head of the stretch and reeling in Doug Brown and pacesetter All Chocolate to post a two and one-quarter length victory in 1:56.4.
Allen Tomlinson of Mason, Michigan owns and trains Bronwen Seelster, who was a modest $3,500 acquisition from the Forest City Sale. The Western Maverick lass qualified once at Michigan’s Hazel Park before shipping to Dresden Raceway for an overnight event on July 1 where she finished fifth. Between that modest pay cheque and Saturday’s substantial one, Tomlinson has already banked almost four times what he paid for the filly.
In the eighth race, fan favourite Western Silk made a small deposit against her $50,000 purchase price with an impressive three-wide move at the three-quarters that launched her to a three and one-quarter length victory in 1:56.4. Hay Jackie and Warrawee Limelight rounded out the top three.
Robert Shepherd engineered the victory for trainer Casie Coleman of Cambridge and her partner Tom Hill of Lancashire, Great Britain. The pair acquired the daughter of Western Terror and Extemporaneous from the Harrisburg Yearling Sale.
The other Grassroots divisions went to Gracie Montana in 1:58.4; Windsong Gentille in 1:59.4; and Misty Moostone in 1:59.1.
The freshman pacing fillies make their second Grassroots start at Hanover Raceway on Aug. 8, while Kawartha Downs fans look forward to catching the three-year-old pacing colts in Grassroots action on Saturday, Aug. 22.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click here.
(OSS)