Ontario’s two-year-old pacing colts and geldings arrived at Sudbury Downs on Wednesday evening, took a look at the record books and proceeded to feed them through the shredder.
Southwind Amazon and driver Doug McNair set the tone for the evening by peeling one-fifth of a second off the former freshman pacing colt track record, cruising home unchallenged to a four and three-quarter length victory in 1:57. Southwind Amazon’s effort erased the 1:57.1 mile recorded by Lil Bit Lil Bit on Aug. 15, 2009. Deuce Is Loose followed the fan favourites around the half-mile oval into second and OK Ferrari took the outer lane to a third-place result.
McNair engineered the track record effort, Southwind Amazon’s third Grassroots triumph, for his father, trainer Gregg McNair of Guelph, Ont. and owner Jarold Hawks of Jeddo, Michigan. Through seven starts the son of Camluck and Artoonist has tallied three wins and two seconds for earnings of $59,350.
Three races later Duc Dorleans ripped almost a full second off the freshman pacing gelding track record with a front-end trip around the Sudbury oval that saw him sprint under the wire in 1:55.3. The mile replaced the 1:56.2 clocking recorded by Just Asign To Me in Grassroots action on Aug. 21, 2010. Primeride finished three and three-quarter lengths back in second and fan favourite Brocks Fortune rounded out the top three.
Stephane Brosseau piloted Duc Dorleans to his second straight Grassroots win, and fifth in six starts, for trainer Jacques Dupont and owner-breeders Les Ecuries Dorleans Inc. of Repentigny, Que. and Gestion Levesque 2005 Inc. of Saint-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Que. The son of Shanghai Phil and Legende Dorleans started his career with back-to-back victories at St. Hughes, Que. and has recorded two wins and one second since joining the Grassroots circuit.
Not wanting to be left out of the fun, Panpero Firpo edged the two-year-old pacing colt speed mark down another fifth of a second in the ninth race, hitting the wire in 1:56.4. The No Pan Intended son and driver Robert Shepherd powered up the outside to the one-quarter length victory over Windsong Joker and Grantor Hanover.
He is trained by David Menary for owner-breeder Peter Pan Stables Inc. of Pepper Pike, Ohio. Panpero Firpo started his provincial campaign in the Gold Series, pacing to one fourth, one fifth and two sixth-place finishes. Since making the move to the Grassroots program the colt has now posted one win and one second.
Driver Doug McNair made a second trip to the winner’s circle following the last Grassroots division, guiding Brenin to his first lifetime victory for trainer Murray Brethour and owner-breeder Dr. Huw Llewellyn of Allenford, Ont .Starting from Post 1, Brenin got away fourth and made his way up the outside, reeling in the leaders around the final turn and accelerating home to a fourth length victory in 1:57.2. The Mach Three gelding bested Starlite Kid and Can He Go.
The other two Grassroots trophies went home with Keystone Camaro and Mckinney.
Keystone Camaro was piloted to a 1:58.3 win in the second $24,000 split by trainer-driver Joe Hudon. Hudon conditions the son of Badlands Hanover for R A W Equine Inc. of Burlington, Ont., Karen Hudon of Acton, Ont., and Robert Rubin of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. The win was the gelding’s first in five outings.
Santanna Blue Chip gelding Mckinney was a 1:57 winner in the seventh race for driver Jonathan Drury and trainer Corey Johnson. Breeders Arthur Slack and Ted Smith of Rockwood, Ont. share ownership of Mckinney with Colin Johnson of Le Gardeur, Que. The win was the gelding’s first in Grassroots action and second lifetime.
The two-year-old pacing colts and geldings now head to Dresden Raceway on Sept. 3 for their second last Grassroots start. Wednesday evening’s record setting efforts by the novice pacers wrapped up Sudbury Downs’ 2012 Ontario Sires Stakes season.
To view Wednesday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Wednesday Results - Sudbury Downs.
(OSS)