Grand River Raceway rolled out the red carpet for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings on Monday evening as the Ontario Sires Stakes shipped into Elora for nine divisions of Grassroots action.
Fiesty Flyer captured her $24,000 assignment for the tandem of Jonathan Drury and trainer Casie Coleman in 1:55.1. Drury hustled the gelding to immediate command and after chopping out fractions of :27.3, :56.3 and 1:25.2 he used a :29.4 closing quarter to stop the teletimer in 1:55.1. Coach Cal rallied for the runner-up award, and Curious Phoenix took home third prize.
The victory improved the pacer’s 2012 record to 5-1-1 in seven tries for owner/breeder Bob Hamather of Exeter, ON. The son of Camluck-So Fiesty , who failed to hit the board in five tries during his freshman season, has now stashed away more than $57,000 to date.
Shaws Creek Buff parked past the quarter pole before finding the front in the second division, but once he cleared to the lead it was game over. Paul MacDonell guided the gelding through middle fractions of :56.3 and 1:26 before using a :28.3 kicker to win by 4-1/4 lengths over Tomitta Bayama in 1:54.3. The show dough went to Iwilldowhatido.
Sent off as the 3-2 favourite, Shaws Creek Buff improved his 2012 record to 4-1-3 from 11 starts for trainer Brian Lee. It was the fifth lifetime victory for the son of Mach Three-Joanns Paradise, who is owned by Lockewood Stables and Frank Brundle of Orangeville, ON. The $12,000 payday lifted his lifetime loot stash to $57,790.
Huxley was a front-stepping winner in the third division for the tandem of driver Robert Sheppard and trainer Dave Menary. The gelding, who was winless in his first seven starts of the season, whacked out panels of :27.1, :56.1 and 1:25 before scooting home in :29.2 to win by 3-1/2 lengths over race favourite Modern Xhibit in 1:54.2. Rounding out the top three in the eight-horse affair was Just Doing My Job.
Burke Racing Stable LLC of Fredericktown and Weaver Bruscemi LLC of Canonsburg, PA shares ownership on the son of Modern Art-Heavenly Hudson who pushed his lifetime earnings over $250,000 with the win. The runner-up in this year’s $600,000 Upper Canada Cup is now an eight-time winner to date.
Noble Andrew pulled off a 12-1 upset winning his $24,000 assignment for driver Doug McNair in 1:56. The Charalambos Christoforou trainee watched Jo Willy throw down early fractions of :27.2 and :56.1 before making a three-wide move to the top at the three-quarter pole in 1:26.1. Noble Andrew used a :29.4 final frame to prevail by a neck over the odds-on favourite, The Unsub, with Red Carpet Dude finishing third.
The homebred son of Mach Three-Noble Ellen, who is owned by Christoforou of Campbellville and Banjo Farms of Toronto, ON, picked up his first win of the season and the second of his career. He’s put close to $47,000 on his resume from 14 lifetime starts.
Lyons Josephjnr was a going away winner in a time of 1:55 in his debut for trainer Dave Menary. Mike Saftic rallied the son of Million Dollar Cam-Lyons Sure Sign to the five-length decision over Aviator Seelster, who laid down middle fractions of :55 and 1:24.2 after parking past the :27-second opener. Hidden Potential tagged along to finish third.
Sent off as the 2-5 favourite, Lyons Josephjnr picked up his first win of the season in 10 tries for owner/breeder Joseph Lyons Mound of Burford, ON. The three-time winner has banked in excess of $63,000 this season and more than $82,000 to date.
Daniel Semalu overcame early interference to win his $24,000 division in 1:55.4 for driver Jason Brewer and trainer Rene Dion. The colt, who was sent off as the even-money choice, was bothered by a breaking Lumiere in the early going, but once he cleared to the top he led through fractions of :57.4 and 1:27.4 before sprinting home in a :28-second clip to win by 7-1/2 lengths over Machal Jordan. Third prize was earned by Twin B Wrangler.
Rene Dion trains the son of Modern Art-Coqueluche Semalu for owner/breeder Semalu Inc of Laval, QC. After going 0-for-17 to begin his career, the sophomore has now put together back-to-back winning efforts. He’s put more than $70,000 on his card to date.
Machman played – and won – a game of “catch me if you can” in his division for driver Doug McNair. The gelding ripped through panels of :26.3, :55.4 and 1:24.1 before sealing the deal with a :29.3 final frame. He stopped the clock in 1:53.4, defeating race favourite Espen De Vie and OK Ebury.
Trainer Charalambos Christoforou of Campbellville co-owns the homebred with Banjo Farms of Toronto, ON, and they’ve watched the gelded son of Mach Three-F Fifteen rack up a 2-1-2 record from seven starts this season after failing to hit the board in two tries last year. He’s banked more than $32,000 in his career.
Rebel Jet and trainer/driver Paul MacDonell got up in the final strides to win a three-horse photo in the eighth division. The gelding tracked the tempo-setting favourite, The Riddler, through splits of :28.1, :57.1 and 1:25.3 before popping off the pylons and using a :28.4 kicker to win by a neck over that front-stepping foe in 1:54.3. Mariner Seelster, who also came up a neck short, was third.
Sent off as the second choice in the wagering, Rebel Jet improved his 2012 record to 2-4-2 from just 12 trips to the track with the win. The career winner in excess of $60,000 is owned by Paul MacDonell Racing Stb of Guelph and Irwin Stables Inc of Cobourg, ON.
Tye Seelster, who was away from the races for a month, captured the final division in 1:53.4 for the team of driver Jason Brewer and trainer Ed Hayter. The colt watched Late Nite Flight and Carsons Cracker take turns on the lead through early fractions of :27 and :56.1 before brushing to the top and taking the field past the three-quarter pole in 1:24.1. He turned back a late challenge from the 2-5 favourite, Franceschetti, en route to the one-length score in 1:53.4. Franceschetti settled for second, with Carsons Cracker taking home the show dough.
The son of Camluck-The Patriot, who is owned by Vic Hayter of Stratford, ON, has visited the winner’s circle four time this season from just 11 trips to the track. The six-time winner upped his lifetime earnings to $108,660 with the victory.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Grand River Raceway.