Connie and David Chisholm continue to enjoy success with their homebred Halo Its Me ($3.40), who earned the fourth win of her career and her second stakes score to date on Sunday (Aug. 11) at Clinton Raceway, holding her ground to take the first of four Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots events for three-year-old trotting fillies.
In the $22,800 first split, the daughter of Archangel and Joy Of Pleasure was looped early by Blue Magic (Scott Young), but James MacDonald angled her out to claim control of the race past a :30.1 quarter. MacDonald and Halo Its Me worked out a bit of a breather through middle splits of 1:00 and 1:31.2, but accelerated on the far turn to evade the first-over challenge of Cambridge Kate (Trevor Henry), who angled out from third to push the pace up the far side.
After dismissing Cambridge Kate, Halo Its Me faced a second challenge from Blue Magic, who found room in mid-stretch. Undeterred, Halo Its Me reached for the line to prevail in 2:00. Blue Magic missed by just a half length, while Cambridge Kate salvaged third despite late regression.
Halo Its Me's time was equalled by Witches N Angels ($3.70) in the $22,800 second Grassroots split. The daughter of Archangel and Witch Way vaulted clear from post 6 and made every pole a winning one in line to Trevor Henry, drawing off to defeat Warrawee Ultra (Travis Henry) by 6-1/2 lengths. Angel Status (Young) rallied from out of traffic at the back of the main body of the field to claim third.
Joseph MacIsaac trains Witches N Angels, now a two-time winner, for Andy Stewart, Lennan MacIsaac and Carolyn Williston.
The $22,800 third division saw Kashe ($80.40) ride second-over cover to a 39-1 upset, aided by a break from 1-2 favourite Splurge On Me (Trevor Henry) at the top of the stretch. Trainer-driver Wayne Henry placed the daughter of Justice Hall and Circe Hanover behind the live cover of Petro Hall (MacDonald) with a circuit to go and worked to the lead at head-stretch as Splurge On Me broke. Kashe edged away from pocket rival Absynthe Hanover (Young) by 1-3/4 lengths to win in 2:01, while Holiday Harlot (Stephen Byron) finished a ground-saving third.
Kashe, a three-time winner, earned her first career OSS victory for the Henry Stable.
An early break by odds-on favourite Angelic Speed in the $22,450 fourth division paved thee way for Rebellious Lady ($5.90) to register her first OSS victory of the year after winning two Grassroots events as a two-year-old. James MacDonald was able to work to the lead with the daughter of Angus Hall and Radical Missy, and the pair controlled splits of :30.3, 1:02 and 1:32.3 before drawing 4-1/4 lengths clear of Vimy Ridge Venus (Wayne Henry) and Glide N Go (Glen Hardy) in 2:02.
Duane Marfisi trains Rebellious Lady for Green And Gold Ltd.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results – Clinton Raceway.