Grassroots Mania On Tap At Mohawk Park

Two-year-old colts and geldings were the stars of the show Tuesday evening at Woodbine Mohawk Park as the trotters battled in five divisions of Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots action.

New Rules went to the front and didn’t look back in his $22,600 division for the tandem of driver Austin Sorrie and trainer Marcel Barrieau.

The son of Lookslikeachpndale-Mini Her shot to the top from Post 9 and carved out fractions of :29, :59.4 and 1:29.4 before using a :29.2 closing panel to win by a half-length margin over Watch A Pro in 1:59.1.  Glenfidich was third.

Sent off as the 4-5 favourite, the gelding improved his rookie record to 1-1-0 from three tries for Barrieau and partner Gestion Mastel Inc of Longueil, Que.  He’s banked $16,850 to date.

Nothingbutadreamer, who was sent off as the 6-5 choice in the second division, was a handy winner in going away fashion for driver Doug McNair and trainer Harry Poulton.

McNair got away fifth from Post 8 with the son of Muscle Mass-Myimpossibledream, who tracked Mundo (:28.4) and Uncle Morris (:59) and Rough Tuff Tested (1:29) before brushing up and kicking home in :28.1 to win by 2-3/4 lengths over Rough Tuff Tested in 1:58.  Lava Field came on strong to grab the show dough in the $22,600 affair.

Thestable Nothingbutadremr of Guelph, Ont. owns the colt who is now two-for-three to kick off his career.  The $11,300 payday pushed his earnings to $23,200.

Tuscan Prince took an early tuck into the three-hole in the third division, but once he brushed to the top in the second quarter it was game over for the others.

Bob McClure got away third with the Luc Blais trainee while Cruising Tom blasted to the top and took the field to the quarter pole in :28.  Tuscan Prince then marched to the lead and proceeded to chop out middle splits of :57.4 and 1:28.1.  Tuscan Prince then used a :28.2 closing panel to win by 1-3/4 lengths over the late-driving favourite, Hasty Bid, in 1:56.3.  Floyd The Freak shot up the rail late to finish third.

Sent off at odds of 3-1, the son of Kadabra-Tosca improved his record to 2-1-0 from four assignments for owner Determination of Montreal, Que. 

Busting With Pride was nowhere to be seen in the early stages of the fourth division, but he was a force to be reckoned with late.

Trevor Henry got away sixth with the Bob McIntosh trainee, who was a dozen lengths away from lead Like Chaos at the quarter pole in :27.3.  Like Chaos continued to roll the field through middle splits of :58 and 1:29 before weakening and fading out of contention.  Busting With Pride was still sixth at the mid-way point before advancing to be fourth while riding cover at the three-quarter pole.  He then used a :29.1 closing kick to win by 2-3/4 lengths over All Star Yankee in 1:58.4.  Fantastic MVP was third.

Robert Mcintosh Stables Inc and Dave Boyle share ownership on the homebred son of Resolve-Bustingattheseams.  The victory was the first of his career and it pushed his lifetime earnings to $18,626.

Take On Me used his rallying skills to take home the hardware in the final division for the team of driver Louis-Philippe Roy and trainer Meg Crone.

The son of Muscle Mass-Lil Miss Tut tucked into an early four-hole while Belvedere Franklin shot to the top and hung up an opening quarter in :28.  Race favourite Fox Valley Ontario then blasted to the lead in the backstretch and went on to carve out middle splits of :58 and 1:29.  Take On Me marched first-over after the lead, and he was just a neck back of the tempo-setter as the group headed into the final frame of the contest.  Take On Me then kicked home in :29.2 to win by 6-1/2 lengths over Airborne in 1:58.2.  Timonier rounded out the Trifecta ticket.

W J Donovan of Delray Beach, Florida owns the maiden-breaker who improved his rookie record to 1-0-1 from three starts with the win.  To date he’s banked just over $15,000.

To view results for Tuesday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Tuesday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park.