Ontario’s gifted three-year-old pacing colts make the second stop on their Grassroots tour this Tuesday, July 7 at Woodstock Raceway
.
A total of 72 colts will battle for $216,000 in Grassroots purses, and Thamesford resident Scott Barr is hoping Artsbred Camotion can be among the money earners in the second division. The gelding will take aim on a top finish from Post 5 in Race 2, a position his trainer feels will benefit the leggy youngster.
“He’s about 16 hands, so the half-mile tracks aren’t his specialty,” explains Barr. “Hopefully he’ll have a little bit of luck and get some gas money.”
Bred and owned by Putnam resident Tony Aarts, Artsbred Camotion has one second and four thirds to his credit through 16 starts this season. While he has not found his way to the winner’s circle, the son of Camotion and Victorious Killean has earned more than his share of gas money, missing a cheque on just four occasions.
“He’s fairly consistent,” remarks Barr. “We just can’t seem to catch a break and get a win on his card.
“He is your typical Grassrooter; if the draw works out he’s pretty competitive, if the draw doesn’t work out he’ll get you a cheque,” adds the horseman.
In the Grassroots season opener at Dresden Raceway on June 21, Artsbred Camotion logged a third-place finish from the trailing Post 8. Driver Doug McNair guided the gelding to the top three finish at Dresden and will be back in the race bike at Woodstock on Tuesday.
“I honestly didn’t think he’d even get around Dresden,” admits Barr. “Doug got along really with him at Dresden, so we thought he’d be okay at Woodstock.”
Aside from the gelding’s difficulty navigating the province’s smaller ovals, Barr says Artsbred Camotion is easy to get along with on the racetrack and in the barn.
“He’s a gentle giant at the barn. He’s almost at the point a kid could jog him,” says the horseman. “He’s a likeable horse.”
Artsbred Camotion and McNair will face off against four Grassroots veterans and three newcomers to the provincial campaign on Tuesday afternoon. Among their rivals are Layton Seelster, who was a 1:57.2 winner in the season opener at Dresden, and Come N Bet It, who heads into the contest off a pair of sharp victories over the half-mile ovals at Hanover Raceway and Western Fair Raceway. Layton Seelster and driver Brad Forward will start from Post 6, while Come N Bet It and Dustin McClure will be hampered by the outside Post 7.
Post time for Woodstock Raceway’s Tuesday afternoon program is 4 p.m., with the province’s talented three-year-old pacing colts showcased in Races 1 through 9.
(OSS)
To view Tuesday’s entries, click here.