Putnam Mackenzie maintained her flawless Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots record and extended her win streak to six in a nail biter at Woodstock Raceway on Saturday afternoon while Heavenly Ash lowered the track record for three-year-old pacing fillies
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Starting from the trailing Post 8, driver Robert Shepherd had Putnam Mackenzie positioned fourth as Chablis Nourrir (Jody Jamieson) led the field of three-year-old pacing fillies to a :28 opening quarter. As the pacesetter carried on to a :57.1 half, Shepherd sent the fan favourite up the outside and she was looking Chablis Nourrir in the eye at the 1:25.1 three-quarters. However, Chablis Nourrir did not give in without a fight and Putnam Mackenzie had to battle all the way down the stretch to secure a neck victory in 1:55.1.
By the three-quarter pole Putnam Mackenzie and Chablis Nourrir had distanced themselves from the rest of the field, and Lucky Jeans (Jason Brewer) crossed the finish 11 lengths behind the battling leaders.
David Menary trains Putnam Mackenzie for breeders Putnam Training Centre Ltd. of Mossley, ON and Jamie Bardoel of London, ON. Through 17 starts this season the daughter of Grinfromeartoear and Royas Bambi has accumulated seven wins and one third for earnings of $79,111. The filly’s three Grassroots victories give her 150 points in the race for one of 16 spots in the post season, good enough for second in the current standings.
Sitting high atop the Grassroots standings is Heavenly Ash, who not only won her fourth straight Grassroots trophy at Woodstock on Saturday, but did it in track record time.
With Jody Jamieson in the race bike for trainer Shawn Robinson and owners Macadream Stable of Ottawa, ON and Ciro Gentile of Boca Raton, Florida, Heavenly Ash sat second through the :27.1 quarter and :56.4 half, pressed the pace from the outside through the 1:25.2 three-quarters and then sailed home a one and one-half length winner in a track record 1:54.3. Slaley held the former record of 1:55.3.
Fan favourite All Chocolate (Scott Zeron) tried hard to reel in Heavenly Ash, but had to settle for second, one-half length ahead of third-place finisher Misty Moonstone (Peter Core).
A daughter of Royal Mattjesty and Musical Power, Heavenly Ash has five wins, one second and three thirds in 12 sophomore starts to her credit, for earnings of $65,050.
Jamieson and Robinson also teamed up to capture the first $24,000 Grassroots division, posing in the winner’s circle with Lyons Anitacol, who stopped the clock at 1:55.4. Pebble Creek (Scott Zeron) was just half a length behind in second, with Smokin N Grinin (Robert Sparling Jr.) 10 lengths back in third.
The win was the first of the season for Lyons Anitacol, an E Dees Cam daughter owned by Geoffrey Lyons Mound of Burford, ON. In five starts the youngster now has one win and three thirds for sophomore earnings of $28,000.
Jamieson completed the Grassroots hat trick in the second last division, using a bold three-wide move at the three-quarter pole to propel Oceans Motion to a 10 length triumph in 1:55.1. Pacesetter and fan favourite Modern Beauty (Doug McNair) hung on for second, while Perfume N Pearls (Mario Baillargeon) rounded out the top three.
Jeff Gillis trains Oceans Motion for Robert Lovett of Commack, New York and the Camotion daughter added a fifth win to her score sheet with Saturday’s effort.
The other Grassroots divisions went to Warrawee Lil and Scott Zeron in 1:57; Mach Dismissal and Doug McNair in 1:55.4; Racy Gal Hanover and Mario Baillargeon in 1:56.2; MC Taylor and Simon Allard in 1:56.2; and Manvers Short Cut and Trevor Henry in 1:57.
The three-year-old pacing fillies will meet up for their second last Grassroots skirmish on September 15 at Sudbury Downs, while Woodstock Raceway holds its last Ontario Sires Stakes event of the 2010 season on Saturday, September 18, welcoming the two-year-old trotting colts to town for their fourth Grassroots contest.
To view Saturday's results, click here.
(With files from OSS)