Grand River Raceway was a battleground on Monday evening as many of Ontario’s finest – and fleetest – freshmen squared off in eliminations for this year’s Battle of the Belles and Battle of Waterloo
.
Here’s what’s happened in tonight's eliminations:
BATTLE OF WATERLOO ELIMINATIONS
Czar Seelster pulled off a 9-1 upset when he drew away from eight rivals in the opening elimination for Team Jamieson. Jody Jamieson mapped out the winning trip with the Carl Jamieson-trained son of Stonebridge Regal-Cmon Mama Cass. Czar Seelster cruised home to win in 1:55.4 over Winbak Warrior and Machal Angelo, and in doing so he celebrated the first win of his career.
Purchased for $13,000 at last year’s Forest City Yearling Sale, Czar Seelster is owned by Carl Jamieson of Princeton and Tom Kyron of Toronto, ON. He’s a half-brother to Calgary Seelster (1:52.4 - $107,263), who is 6-for-12 this season and already a multiple stakes winner on the WEG circuit this season.
Warrawee Needy showed no mercy to the foes he squared off with in his elimination. The undefeated son of E Dees Cam-Great Memories made a three-wide move to the lead at the mid-way point of the mile for driver Jody Jamieson and simply drew away from the competition en route to a 1:53.4 tally. Secretsoftheknight, who was beaten 13-1/4 lengths, was second with Red Carpet Ride taking home the show dough.
Trainer Carl Jamieson co-owns the colt, who is 6-for-6, with partners Tom Kyron, Dr. Michael Wilson and Floyd Marshall. The $16,500 payday bumped his earnings to $195,000.
It's been reported Carl Jamieson will handle the colt next week while Jody Jamieson participates in the World Driving Championship in the U.S. next Monday.
The top four finishers from each elimination and one of the fifth-place finishers drawn by lot will advance to the rich final next on Industry Day. Here’s the field:
$300,000 Battle of Waterloo Final
1. Two Guys
2. Red Carpet Dude
3. Machal Angelo
4. Machapelo
5. Warrawee Needy
6. Winbak Warrior
7. Czar Seelster
8. Coach Cal
9. Secretsoftheknight
BATTLE OF THE BELLES ELIMINATIONS
Mindsweeper played – and won – a game of catch me if you can over seven female foes in the opening elimination. Sylvain Filion hustled the daughter of Mach Three-Catch A Wish through panels of :27.1, :57.1 and 1:25.4 before using a :29.1 final frame to post a blowout win in 1:55. Race favourite Your Beautiful was 8-1/2 lengths back in second, with Tymal Trilogy finishing third.
The 1:55 performance knocked one-fifth of a second off the former track record of 1:55.1. That was established by Village Janus in the final of last year’s Battle of Belles.
Millar Farms of Newmarket, ON bred and own the promising pacing lass, who hangs her harness bag in the barn of trainer Eric Adams. The second-time starter won her debut at Rideau Carleton Raceway in an OSS Grassroots division in a time of 1:59.2 over an off track on July 17.
Eat Me Up survived a first-over journey in the second elimination, and as a result she kept her undefeated record intact for trainer Gord Remmen. Sylvain Filion guided the Mach Three-Presidentialintern miss to the 1:57.1 decision over Regal Attitude and Cooking The Books.
David Ratchford of North Sydney, NS owns the youngster, who started her career with back-to-back wins at Northside Downs in 2:02.3 and 2:04, respectively. She crushed OSS Grassrooters at Rideau Carleton Raceway in the third start of her career. She paced that mile in 1:58.3 over an off track. Tonight’s fourth start pushed her lifetime earnings to $23,950. She was a $12,500 purchase from last year’s Harrisburg Yearling Sale.
Classy Lane Rose uncorked a big rally on the way to the three-quarter pole, and after battling around the final turn and through the lane she managed to pull off a 1:57.3 victory – the first of her career – for driver Paul MacDonell. The homebred daughter of Jeremes Jet-Titanic Rose defeated Almost Midnight and Palm Patrol.
Trainer Ben Wallace of Milton co-owns the talented miss with Jamie Miller of Dorchester, ON, and together they’ve watched her assemble a 1-2-1 record in the first four starts of her career. She’s managed to stash away $43,600 along the way.
The top three finishers from each of Monday's eliminations will advance to the rich final. Here's how they'll line up on the starting gate:
$150,000 Battle of the Belles Final
1. Almost Midnight
2. Tymal Trilogy
3. Regal Attitude
4. Your Beautiful
5. Cooking The Books
6. Palm Patrol
7. Eat Me Up
8. Mindsweeper
9. Classy Lane Rose
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Grand River Raceway.
I find it kind of
I find it kind of disappointing that elimination winners don't get to choose their post positions..after all they are only two year olds..