Trainer-driver Mark Steacy shipped four freshman trotting fillies to Rideau Carleton Raceway on Friday evening for the second Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots event of the season, and the Lansdowne, ON resident went home with
one Grassroots trophy, two second-place finishes and a fourth-place finish.
Steacy’s successful evening started in the first $24,000 Grassroots division when J N Payton delivered a dominant 2:01 victory, carving out most of the fractions and reaching the wire one and one-quarter lengths ahead of her peers. Abbeycrest cruised along behind J N Payton into second, with Magic Wheel stepping up the outside into third.
A daughter of Angus Hall and Speedy B, J N Payton was a $25,000 purchase at last fall’s Canadian Open Yearling Sale by Shawn Steacy of Lansdowne, ON, Landmark III Racing Stable of Elginburg, ON, George Judson of Athens, ON and Dr. Malcolm Man Son Hing of Campbell River, BC. After qualifying at Rideau Carleton on July 8, the two-year-old trotting filly made her racing debut in an overnight event at Kawartha Downs on July 17, where she finished third with a 2:01 effort.
Two races later, Steacy piloted Out Of The Kitchen to a fourth-place finish for David and Peter Heffering of Port Perry, ON, finishing two lengths behind winner Cook Off.
Cook Off delivered an impressive effort up the outside to secure the one and one-quarter length victory over Shez So Striking and Incredible Emmy Go, halting the teletimer at 2:03.2. Wayne Henry trains and drives the Holy Guacamolie lass for his partners in the Henry Stable of Arthur, ON and Mike Mattine of Burlington, ON. A $17,000 purchase at the Canadian Open Sale, Cook Off jumped into a tie for second spot in the division standings with Friday’s victory and her fourth-place finish in the Grassroots season opener at Grand River Raceway on July 14.
In the third Grassroots event Steacy and Radical Janey carved fractions of :29.3, 1:00 and 1:30.1, gapping the field by as much as five lengths, only to be caught at the wire by fan favourites Karen Hudon and Dabrina.
Stretching her neck out, Dabrina halted the teletimer at 2:01 and picked up a win to go along with the third-place finish she delivered in the July 14 Grassroots contest. Joe Hudon Jr. trains the daughter of Kadabra and Oaklea Ina, who was a $26,000 purchase at the Harrisburg Yearling Sale and currently sits atop the two-year-old trotting filly leader board with 62 points. The Acton, ON resident shares ownership on the filly with R A W Equine of Burlington, ON and Herbert Boggs of Duncan, BC. Pondo Ruba rounded out the triactor in the third Grassroots division.
The final Grassroots trophy was awarded to Claude Cadieux and Zorgwijk Lunar, who rolled across the wire two and a half lengths ahead of Steacy and Upper Paradise. Pacesetter Duchess Of Dundee was edged into third in the 2:02.1 mile.
Cadieux trains and drives Zorgwijk Lunar for Gestion Jean Yves Blais of Montreal, QC. The daughter of Kadabra and Zorgwijk Delicate was a $32,000 purchase from the Canadian Open Sale and currently has one win and one fourth in Grassroots action to her credit, for a share of second spot in the point standings.
The two-year-old trotting fillies will make their third Grassroots start at Flamboro Downs on August 13. Ontario Sires Stakes excitement continues next Sunday, August 8 at Rideau Carleton Raceway when the Ottawa oval rolls out the red carpet for the two-year-old pacing fillies in their second Gold Series event.
To view Friday's results, click here.
(OSS)