After four events, only two horses remain undefeated in the three-year-old trotting colt Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots division, and only Count Strike will have an opportunity to extend his streak to five when the colts arrive at Dresden Raceway on Sunday afternoon
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Count Strike currently shares the top spot in the division standings with Traverse Seelster, but that colt has opted out of Sunday’s contest giving Count Strike an opportunity to secure sole control of the top spot with a strong performance in the last of five $24,000 Grassroots divisions.
“He always gives 100 per cent,” says London, Ont. resident Shawn Dixon, who shares ownership of Count Strike with trainer Wayne Preszcator of Exeter, Ont., Harness Racing Canada 12 of Mississauga, Ont., and William Seplowe of Westbury, New York. “In the Dream Of Glory he was first up both races and he just kept going and going. He just couldn’t quite beat Traverse Seelster.
“We’re saving that for the final,” adds the longtime owner with a chuckle.
Count Strike’s second and fourth behind Traverse Seelster in the Dream Of Glory elimination and final at Hanover Raceway in late July are the only two losses the striking chestnut colt has suffered since Dixon and his partners purchased the young trotter. The Striking Sahbra son originally caught the eye of Preszcator and Harness Racing Canada principal Paul Garofalo when he was racing out of Riina Rekila’s barn this spring, and the men offered Dixon and Seplowe a share in the colt prior to completing the June 6 purchase. Since then Count Strike has posted one overnight win and four Grassroots victories for his new owners.
“He’d already been staked in the Sires Stakes, but he hadn’t raced in any yet,” recalls Dixon. “He won his first three in a row for us, and he’s won five out of seven.”
Scott Coulter and Bruce Richardson have piloted Count Strike in each of his stake outings, and Dixon has high praise for both men. Coulter will get the call for Sunday’s contest, and for the second straight week the trotter will start from Post 7. Last Saturday at Sudbury Downs Richardson fired Count Strike away from Post 7 and held on for a half-length victory over Frill Seeker, halting that colt’s Grassroots win streak at three.
Hampered with the outside Post 8 in Sudbury, Frill Seeker will have the advantage of Post 3 at Dresden on Sunday and Dixon knows Count Strike will have his work cut out for him as he looks to capture Grassroots trophy number five.
“Frill Seeker is on the inside of us. That will be an interesting match-up again,” says the owner. “We’ve raced him three or four times.”
Dixon also expects Starlitestarbrite at Post 5 and Twin B Herbie at Post 6 to present a challenge to Count Strike in the ninth race.
“It’s going to be a good race,” he adds.
Dixon and his family will be on hand to cheer Count Strike home, and the owner says the colt’s striking colour makes him easy for the whole family to identify when the field of seven trotters parade onto the racetrack.
“He’s a beautiful looking chestnut,” Dixon explains. “So you can’t miss him when he’s out on the track.”
Count Strike will be looking for his fifth Grassroots win in Race 9 on Sunday, with the other four Grassroots divisions slated as Races 1, 3, 5 and 7. The sophomore trotting colts will kick off Dresden Raceway’s Sunday matinee at 1 p.m.
To view entries for Sunday's harness racing card, click on the following link: Sunday Entries - Dresden Raceway.
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