Luc Blais pupil Greatest Pleasure posted the fastest mile of the five Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) Grassroots divisions for two-year-old pacing fillies on Saturday night (July 22) at Hiawatha Horse Park.
Starting from post three, Greatest Pleasure landed third as Kittys Column coasted on the point through splits of :27.1, :56.3 and 1:25.3 before facing a challenge. Pocket-sitter How Much crept out of the pocket while Greatest Pleasure pulled widest and powered down the lane to take a length victory in 1:54.3. How Much settled for second with Kittys Column third and Beth another 11 lengths behind in fourth. Determination owns Greatest Pleasure, a daughter of Bettors Delight. J. R. Plante drove the $10.30 winner.
Control The Fire opened Grassroots action when delivering as the odds-on favourite in the $22,200 opening division. Driver Anthony Haughan protected the lead with the daughter of Control The Moment to pocket Millies Spirit by a :28 first quarter. Control The Fire then snagged a breather to a :58.2 half before setting sail in the back half. Holding a 1-1/4-length lead by three-quarters in 1:27.2, Control The Fire spun for home and widened her lead to 3-3/4 lengths at the finish of a 1:55.4 mile over Cheese Party, with She Comes And Goes third. Fred Brayford owns Control The Fire, who paid $3.90 to win.
Betterwithglasses stormed first over to take an open-length victory in the $22,200 second division. The Vic Puddy trainee stalked leader We Meet Again and pocket-sitter Kiss My Cheek through fractions of :26.4 and :55.3 before going into attack. Driver Colin Kelly pulled the daughter of Betterthancheddar off the pegs and plugged along the rim through three-quarters in 1:24.4 to seize the lead through the final turn and spurt clear to a 4-1/2-length win over 2-1 favourite and closing Too Easy in 1:54.4 with Make Out With Me rallying for third. Betterwithglasses competes for trainer Puddy and co-owners 10462217 Canada Inc., Michael Horwood and Lloyd Stone. She paid $7.30 to win.
Odds-on choice ($3 win payout) Tribal Dancer went coast to coast in the $21,800 fourth division. Ed Hensley placed the daughter of Sunshine Beach on the lead to a :27.3 first quarter and was left to her own devices through middle fractions of :58 and 1:27.3. Tribal Dancer then swung for home and recorded a 3-3/4-length win in 1:56.3 over pocket-sitter Idyllic Delight with Le Bec Fin in third. Melissa Lamoureux trains Tribal Dancer for owner 1187422 Ontario Inc.
Bonitas Best Bet took the $21,800 closing division also in front-stepping fashion. Travis Henry launched from post four with the All Bets Off filly and cut a clip of :28.1, :58 and 1:26.2 to win going away by three lengths in 1:55.3 over pocket-sitter Sporty Liz with second-over Winner Bells rallying for third. Dave Menary trains Bonitas Best Bet for Burke Racing Stable LLC, Frank Baldachino, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, JandT Silva and Purnel And Libby. She returned $7.30 to those that backed her to win.
To view Saturday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results – Hiawatha Horse Park.