Sophomore pacer Libertys Best Star extended his Rideau Carleton Raceway win streak to six with an effortless 1:55.3 victory in the second of four $24,000 Grassroots divisions on Thursday evening
.
Russell resident John MacDonald tucked the Cammibest gelding into the pocket behind early pacesetter Eastend Eddie and watched that colt ring up fractions of :27.1 and :56.4. Fan favourite Oil Tumbles rolled up the outside to a 1:24.3 three-quarters, but when MacDonald tipped Libertys Best Star out of the pocket and took aim on the leader the favourite crumbled under the pressure.
Libertys Best Star sailed down the stretch to a one and three-quarter length victory, followed by Rileys Luck, while Oil Tumbles fell to third.
MacDonald conditions Libertys Best Star for Barry Martin and James Gillis of Sydney, NS, and through 10 starts this season the gelding has amassed a record of seven wins, two seconds and one third for earnings of $30,045. Thursday marked the consistent pacer’s first appearance in the Ontario Sires Stakes program, but with one trophy in hand, Libertys Best Star has likely earned himself a shot at the last three Grassroots events on the three-year-old pacing colt calendar.
Young reinsman Aaron Byron posted a pair of Grassroots victories in the other three divisions. The Cambridge resident kicked off the provincial action with a neck victory aboard Bare Necessity in Race 2, earning the Apaches Fame gelding his first win since late April.
MacDonald crossed the wire second with favourite Ultimate Luck, but was placed back to sixth for violating the inner rail rule, elevating Pointed Victory and Tomorrows Treasure into the second and third spots.
Byron engineered the win for trainer Eric Adams and owner-breeder Millar Farms of Newmarket. Bare Necessity now boasts a record of six wins and one second in 10 starts, but had not been better than fifth since his return to action in June following an early season hiatus from the racetrack.
In the final Grassroots division Byron teamed up with trainer Craig Barss to land Stolen Car his second straight Grassroots victory. The Mach Three colt sailed under the wire two and one-quarter lengths ahead of favourites MacDonald and Dreamfair Kovu and division stalwart Hi Sir.
Baltimore resident Barss bred and owns Stolen Car in partnership with Nurko Sokolovic of Waterloo, and has joined the colt in the winner’s circle after six of his 13 races this season.
The other Grassroots trophy went home with Hold Your Hat, who reeled in pacesetter Grand Master to log a three-quarter length victory in 1:53.4. Favourite My Man Charley had to settle for third.
James MacDonald crafted the win for trainer Michel Allard of Saint-Esprit, QC and his partners Rene Allard of Saint-Esprit and Geoffrey Lyons Mound of Burford, ON. Thursday’s appearance was only the Modern Art’s second start of the season; he finished second in an overnight test at Georgian Downs on Aug. 2.
The three-year-old pacing colts kick off the second half of their Grassroots season at Grand River Raceway on Aug. 24, while Ontario Sires Stakes excitement continues unabated at Rideau Carleton Raceway this weekend. On Friday evening the Ottawa oval hosts the second Gold Final of the season for the two-year-old trotting colts, and on Sunday the five-eighths mile will showcase the two-year-old pacing fillies in Gold Final action and the two-year-old pacing colts in Grassroots competition. Sunday’s program will also feature the $147,000 Frank Ryan Memorial for aged trotters.
(OSS)
To view results for Thursday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Thursday Results – Rideau Carleton Raceway.