Jody Jamieson had the winning touch at Georgian Downs on Saturday evening, piloting four sophomore pacing colts to Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots victories.
Jamieson kicked off his successful evening in the first $18,000 Grassroots division, guiding Dialamara to a three and one-quarter length triumph over Feeling Cam Lucky and Naturescape. The 1:51.1 clocking was the quickest of the seven Grassroots divisions and was a new personal best for Dialamara.
“Dialamara was really good,” said Moffat, Ont. resident Jamieson. “He stepped around the leader there in two strides and was strong right to the wire.”
The Lis Mara son started his Ontario Sires Stakes season with a third-place result in the Gold Series opener, but trainer Patrick Fletcher of Hagersville, Ont. moved him down to the Grassroots for the June 21 event at Clinton Raceway and Dialamara finished fifth. Saturday’s victory was Dialamara’s first on the provincial stakes circuit, although he was the winner of the WEGZ Final at Woodbine Racetrack on March 21, and the runner-up in both the Count B and Youthful Finals at the Toronto oval this spring. John Lamers of Ingersoll, Ont. owns the winner of $129,032.
Jamieson made his second trip to the winner’s circle with his own gelding, Make Some Luck, in the third Grassroots division. The pair circled out three-wide at the three-quarters and powered down the stretch to a half-length victory over favourite His Boy Elroy and Legion Of Boom. The 1:52.3 clocking was a personal best for the Camluck gelding.
“I have yet to give him a decent drive, but he has overcome it almost every time,” said Jamieson, who was forced to regroup at the start when Make Some Luck went off-stride briefly after making contact with the gate. “We couldn’t be happier with his effort.”
Jamieson’s father Carl conditions Make Some Luck, who now boasts two wins and one third in Grassroots action and is currently tied for second spot in the three-year-old pacing colt standings with 112 points. Three regular season events remain on the three-year-old pacing colt and gelding calendar.
The reinsman’s third win came in the fifth division with Antar Phil, who cruised home a five and one-half length victor in 1:53.2. Windsong Lord and fan favourite Artful Way settled for second and third.
“He started from a tough spot in the nine-hole but the trip worked out perfect, there was lots of movement,” noted Jamieson. “We ended up being second over up the backside and I swung him over and he just sprinted home from there. He was really good.”
The win was Antar Phil’s second straight, but his first in Ontario Sires Stakes action. The Sportswriter son is trained by Mark Steacy of Lansdowne, Ont. for owner/breeder Hudson Standardbred Stable Inc. of Hudson, Que.
Jamieson completed his driving quartet in the final Grassroots division with his father’s horse Sporting The Look. The fan favourites tipped out of the outer lane and sprinted home to a 1:52.1 victory, two and one-quarter lengths ahead of The Fire Within and Bob Ben And John.
The fifth-ranked horse in the province last season, Sporting The Look had failed to find the winner’s circle in his first four starts this season, so Jamieson was pleased to see the Sportswriter son’s luck change.
“He’s been run into, or I’ve run into somebody else, in every start this year with him. He’s hooked wheels twice, got run into once, that’s three starts, so he was due,” Jamieson said. “He got a perfect trip too and paced hard to the wire, so it was real good.”
Rockwood, Ont. resident Carl Jamieson shares ownership of Sporting The Look with 30 Plus Stable of Trenton, Ont. and Thomas Kyron of Toronto, Ont.
In addition to his wins, Jamieson’s other two Grassroots mounts, Sports Lightning and Win One Soon, finished second and third.
“I had some horses that were favoured and it worked out,” reflected the driver. “Lots of times it doesn’t work out, and tonight it did.”
The other three divisions went to Mach Code, Western Bayama and Deetzy.
Mach Code and driver Mike Saftic of Campbellville, Ont. were one length winners over Sports Lightning and Regal Sight, stopping the Georgian Downs teletimer at 1:52.4. Jeff and Lori Thomson bred, own and train the Mach Three gelding, who sits tied for second in the division standings with Make Some Luck.
Western Bayama battled to a head victory over Sports Bettor and Lancaster Park in the fourth division. The Lis Mara son hit the wire in a personal best 1:53.4 for driver Anthony MacDonald of Guelph, Ont., trainer Stephane Larocque of Carlisle, Ont. and owner/breeder Bayama Farms Inc. of Saint-Andre-D’Argenteuil, Que.
Deetzy also won a nail-biter, getting a neck in front of Southwind Indy and Win One Soon at the 1:53.2 finish. Thornton, Ont. resident Stephen Byron engineered the Jeremes Jet son’s first lifetime victory for trainer Ken Sucee of Bowmanville, Ont. and Shelby Novick of Delray Beach, Florida.
The three-year-old pacing colts and geldings make their fourth Grassroots start at Mohawk Racetrack on July 31.
Ontario Sires Stakes excitement returns to Georgian Downs on Tuesday, July 7 with the Grassroots debut of the two-year-old trotting fillies. Five divisions of novice trotters will be featured, going postward as Races 1, 2, 5, 6, and 8 on the 7:15 p.m. program.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Georgian Downs.
(OSS)