Stablemates Three Charms and Epoxy Queen delivered powerful performances in Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots action at Georgian Downs on Saturday night, clocking the two fastest miles of the evening
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Three Charms led off for trainer Eric Adams and owner-breeder Millar Farms of Newmarket, Ont., cruising along on the front end to a personal best 1:52 victory. Thornton, Ont. resident Stephen Byron engineered the mile, which saw the fan favourites reach the wire two and one-quarter lengths ahead of Synergy Seelster. Cheryls Surprise was four more lengths to the rear in third.
Unraced at two, Three Charms has posted two wins, one second and one third in five starts this season, banking $36,100. The daughter of Camluck and Luck On The Run finished second in her Grassroots and lifetime debut at Grand River Raceway on June 15, and then logged a pair of third-place finishes in the Kin Pace at Clinton Raceway before finding the winner’s circle for the first time on July 14 at Mohawk Racetrack.
Adams and the Millars had to wait until the final $24,000 Grassroots division to see if Epoxy Queen could match her stablemate’s results and, in spite of starting from Post 6, the filly quickly answered the question. With Dan Clements in the race bike, the Camluck miss fired off the starting gate and led the field through fractions of :26.4, :56.1, and 1:24.2 before cruising under the wire five lengths ahead of the competition in a lifetime best 1:52.3. Back Yard Baby, owned by Kenneth Curran of Coldwater, Ont., paced into second spot, with Lady Kelleigh Anne rounding out the top three.
Saturday’s outing was Epoxy Queen’s fourth this season. The filly started her sophomore campaign off in an overnight event at Mohawk Racetrack on July 8 and then competed in the Canadian Breeders Championship at the Campbellville, Ont. oval, where she finished fourth in her elimination and eighth in the final. A two-time winner in Grassroots action at two, Saturday’s victory boosted Epoxy Queen’s lifetime earnings to $98,505.
Tilly Seelster jumped to the top of the three-year-old pacing filly point standings with her second victory in Grassroots action. The Camluck miss and driver Jonathan Drury took command of the race before the halfway marker and fought off a late challenge from Brush With Royalty to secure the three-quarter length victory in 1:54.2. Carsons Maverick was less than a length back in third.
Conditioned by Casie Coleman for D2D Racing Stable of Mississauga, Ont., Tilly Seelster has accumulated five wins and one third in nine starts this season for earnings of $56,960. With two wins and one fourth in Grassroots action the filly boats a point tally of 108 at the mid-way point in the season.
Just Artful picked up her second straight Grassroots victory at Georgian Downs on Saturday, sprinting home to grab a three-quarter length victory away from Chappies Girl and Blue Monster.
Merlin, Ont. resident Greg Drew bred, owns, trains and drives the daughter of Modern Art and Armbro Justify, who has four wins in eight starts this season for earnings of $31,550. With 100 points Just Artful currently shares second spot in the standings with Montenegro, who was a 1:53.4 winner at Georgian Downs for trainer Louie Eftimiadis and owner Gerald Mijal of Westland, Michigan. Anthony MacDonald piloted the Camluck filly to the win over Dapple Apple and Iemma Machine Baby.
The other Grassroots trophies were captured by Pearl Handlepistol, who circled the Innisfil oval in 1:55 for Joanne and Stewart Firlotte of Orlando, Florida, and Shipps Xanadu, who clocked a 1:53.3 mile for the Harold G. Shipp Stable of Mississauga, Ont.
The three-year-old pacing fillies make their fourth Grassroots start on August 6 at Sudbury Downs, and the competition will be stiff with just three events remaining before the post season.
Ontario Sires Stakes excitement returns to Georgian Downs on Tuesday, August 9 with Grassroots action for the three-year-old trotting fillies.
For results from Saturday's harness racing card, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Georgian Downs.
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