After failing to find the winner's circle in her Ontario Sires Stakes freshman campaign last year, trotting filly Upgrade has upgraded to an undefeated Grassroots record in her sophomore season and added a fourth preliminary win on Sunday, Aug. 9 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
With regular reinsman Todd Ratchford aboard for trainer Matt Bax, Upgrade ($14.90) also improved her lifetime mark when winning one of Sunday night's three $30,000 divisions in 1:54.2. After landing midfield through a :27.4 opening quarter, Ratchford sent the Grassroots divisional leader to the top and reached the half in :57.3. She kept clear of the oncoming 6-5 favourite, Bella Chica (Bob McClure), past three-quarters in 1:25.4 and won easily by 1-1/2 lengths with pocket-sitter Life Is Great (James MacDonald) taking the second-place honours. Bella Chica settled for third.
Upgrade, who made seven of her eight rookie starts in the provincial program, has won five times in 14 sophomore starts, earning more than half of her $94,684 bankroll via her four Grassroots victories. The filly sired by Green Manalishi S out of the Credit Winner mare Uptown Classic is owned by Al Libfeld of Pickering, Ont., and Brad Grant of Milton, Ont.
Elbows Up ($4.10) earned her third Grassroots trophy when winning the fastest division of the night in a career-best 1:53 for trainer Shawn Steacy. Driver Jonathan Drury moved the even-money favourite to the lead from fourth down the backstretch -- despite being forced three-wide briefly before clearing her front-end rivals -- and cruised home a 2-1/4-length winner over closers Rare Legacy (Louis-Philippe Roy) and Twin B Show Biz (Tyler Borth). The Muscle Mass-Vegas Virgin filly competes for the ownership of Doug Clark of Mississauga, Ont., Mark and Cara Steacy of Lansdowne, Ont., and Guy Haskell of Guelph, Ont.
Dropping from Gold competition, 4-5 favourite Barbara May ($3.60) earned her first stakes victory in the provincial program for the McNairs -- driver Doug and trainer Gregg -- and owners Thomas and Elizabeth Rankin of St. Catharines, Ont. The homebred daughter of Alarm Detector-Absolut Seelster matched her lifetime mark of 1:54 flat after advancing uncovered in the final turn and catching a break when leader Ronda May K (Jody Jamieson) rolled off stride in deep stretch. A Splash Of Green (James MacDonald) followed three lengths behind in second while Jenny Da Vie (Chris Christoforou) inherited third.
In other Sunday night racing action, D A Lets Boogie ($3.30) kept his win streak going with a 1:49.4 career-best effort in a Pop-Up Series event. Trained by Luc Blais and owned by Kozen Farms of La Prairie, Que., the four-year-old Dancin Lou-Sports Beauty gelding was a repeat winner in the series with Bob McClure in the bike following four wins in a row at Grand River Raceway. After moving into the outer flow from mid-pack in the final turn, the streaker boogied home down the center of the track to go by his rivals with ease.
The second leg of the conditioned series was comprised of four $16,000 divisions for male pacers that were starters for a purse of $10,000 or less in their last three, with winners over $40,000 in 2026 not eligible.
McClure also won with Grin And Win ($4.30) in 1:50.4 for trainer Heather Pickett.
Two newcomers to the series won their respective divisions as Moonlover Bovino ($16.70) prevailed in 1:51.2 for driver Travis Henry and trainer Clifford McGuire, and Boothill Hudy ($4.70) romped to a new lifetime mark of 1:50.1 for Travis and Jodie Cullen.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada)