Ontario’s talented three-year-old pacing colts brought their high speed show to Grand River Raceway on Friday evening and tore up the Elora oval’s record books.
In the first $18,000 Grassroots division, fan favourite Champagne Phil extended his flawless Grassroots record to four and wrote his name in the Grand River history books with a five and three-quarter length win in a track record 1:52.1. The mile peeled one-fifth of a second off the former mark established by OSS star Prodigal Seelster in 2011.
Moffat resident Jody Jamieson, a five-time winner on the 12-race card, engineered the Shanghai Phil son’s sixth lifetime victory for trainer Kenneth Oliver and owner ICR Racing of Pefferlaw.
Three races later, Jamieson matched the old record with Dull Roar, who rocketed down the Grand River stretch to a four and three-quarter length win in 1:52.2. The Mach Three colt jumped into third spot in the point standings with his first Grassroots win. In his three previous provincial appearances, Dull Roar had finished second.
Jeff Gillis of Hillsburgh conditions Dull Roar for his partners Ken Henwood of Vaughan, Mac Nichol of Burlington and Gerald Stay of Buffalo, New York.
Jamieson piloted another Gillis trainee to victory in the final division, giving him a Grassroots hat trick. Starting from post one with Santanna One, Jamieson sent the gelding straight to the front and held on for a three-quarter length win in 1:53.4. The win was the Santanna Blue Chip son’s first of the season.
Gillis and Mac Nichol share ownership of Santanna One with Ellen Ott of Buffalo, New York and Jamieson’s 1140545 Ontario Ltd.
The other two Grassroots divisions were captured by The Real One in 1:54.3 and Thorn In Your Side in 1:54.3.
The three-year-old pacing colts make their fifth Grassroots stop at Mohawk Racetrack on Aug. 26, while Grand River Raceway fans will be treated Gold Series action for the three-year-old trotting colts on Aug. 23.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Grand River Raceway.
(With files from OSS)