On Saturday evening Sudbury Downs fans got a taste of the excitement this season’s two-year-old pacing colt crop has been generating when Just Asign To Me lowered the track record
in the second of four $24,000 Grassroots divisions.
Starting from Post 3, driver Trevor Henry had Just Asign To Me ready to roll when the wings closed, and the Geartogear son had the edge in an early speed battle with Facebook by the time the pair reached the :27.2 quarter. Henry slowed things down significantly heading toward the :57.3 half and only increased the tempo when S G Special mounted a challenge at the 1:27 three-quarters.
Once he had disposed of S G Special, Just Asign To Me cruised home to a one length victory in a track record 1:56.2. For the second straight Grassroots start Facebook followed Just Asign To Me into the runner-up position, while Wishiweregrey was two more lengths back in third.
The mile lowered Sudbury Downs’ two-year-old pacing colt track record by almost one full second. The old record of 1:57.1 was set by Lil Bit Lil Bit in 2009.
Purchased sight unseen through an online auction, Just Asign To Me is now flawless through two Grassroots starts for his prescient owner-trainer Bruce Gilkinson of Listowel, ON. The son of Geartogear and Justasign Hanover has sole ownership of top spot in the Grassroots division standings with 100 points. In five starts the gelding has accumulated three wins and one fourth for earnings of $27,780, paying off his purchase price just over a month after arriving in Gilkinson’s barn.
Adventure Bound made his debut in the provincial program in the first Grassroots division and picked up his second straight victory for owner-breeders Millar Farms of Newmarket, ON. The son of Camluck and driver Randy Fritz controlled the pace from start to finish, logging fractions of :28, :57.1 and 1:28.2 before coasting home a one and one-half length winner in 1:57.3.
Officernagentleman closed smartly to earn the second-place finisher’s share of the $24,000 purse and Tara Micket rounded out the top three.
Eric Adams conditions Adventure Bound, who captured his racing debut at Mohawk Racetrack on Aug. 13, besting a field of two-year-olds in 1:54.1 off a front end effort.
Hi Sir suffered interference in the Grassroots season opener at Clinton Raceway on July 18, but had no such trouble in Sudbury. The son of Sir Luck and Hikari delivered an impressive effort, rolling up the outside on pacesetter Nascar Fame heading for the half and taking control around the final turn. Hi Sir and driver Paul MacLean sprinted down the stretch to a two and one-quarter length victory in 2:00. Picasso A F and Sandys Candy followed Hi Sir up the outside into second and third.
Windsor, ON resident Bob McIntosh owns and trains Hi Sir, who now has two wins and one third to his credit through five starts for earnings of $19,090. Fourth in the first Grassroots event, the gelding now has 58 points in the race for one of 16 spots in the post season.
The last Grassroots division went to former Gold Series competitor Grand Master and driver Brad Rae, who went gate-to-wire in 1:58.4. Trek Seelster, who also started his Ontario Sires Stakes career at the Gold Series level, made a break at the midway point but was able to recover and claim second-place honours, leaving Balashi in third.
William James trains Grand Master for Donald Smith and Donna Parker of Hampton, ON, who also bred the son of Goliath Bayama and Vedas Dragon. Through six starts the gelding now has one win, one second and one third for earnings of $22,440.
The two-year-old pacing colts are back in Grassroots action on Sept. 24 at Hanover Raceway, while Sudbury Downs hosts its last Ontario Sires Stakes of the season on Wednesday, Sept. 15, welcoming the exciting three-year-old pacing colts for their second last Grassroots skirmish.
(O.S.S.)
To view Saturday’s results, click here.