Round four of Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots competition for two-year-old pacing fillies was contested on Monday (Aug. 24) at Woodbine Mohawk Park with a trio of $30,000 divisions, with Aceandaten taking the quickest of the three in 1:51.3 for Doug and Gregg McNair.
Leaving from the rail as the 7-5 second choice, Aceandaten was away in fifth early while Twin B Girl Talk (Jonathan Drury) took charge through a :27 opening split. Lyons Bulldog (Mark MacDonald) was parked and pressing at that station before moving to the top and taking the fillies to the half in :55.2. Aceandaten began her first-over ascent on the final turn, charging alongside the leader with the fillies racing as a team to three-quarters in 1:23.4.
Aceandaten wrestled away the lead at the top of the stretch, putting away Lyons Bulldog while Bulldog Belle (James MacDonald) chased in second. Aceandaten would not be caught, cruising to the wire 1-3/4 lengths clear in a career best 1:51.3. Bulldog Belle was second, with Lets Go Fishin (Louis-Philippe Roy) rallying for third.
A winner in two of six this season, with each of those victories coming in her last two tries, Aceandaten has banked $69,644 this season. The daughter of Cattlewash-Dreamin Girl is owned by Jason Castellan of Elora, Ont. Aceandaten paid $4.90 to win.
McNair would take the third and final Grassroots division as well, this time teaming up with trainer Courtney Bishop aboard Watchmeparty.
Watchmeparty left alertly off the wings to get position, landing the pocket trip behind Effective Control (Trevor Henry) through the :27.3 opening quarter. Not content to chase, Watchmeparty brushed to the lead on the backstretch, reaching the halfway point in :56.1 before leading to three-quarters in 1:24.3. Once in the stretch, Tenacious (Travis Henry) skimmed the cones late to take a shot at Watchmeparty, coming up a half-length shy of the winner who stopped the timer in 1:53. Santorini Seelster (James MacDonald) finished in the show position.
It was the maiden breaking score in her sixth career try for Watchmeparty. The homebred daughter of Bettors Delight-Party In Rome has banked $33,060 for owners Bill Manes of Rockwood, Ont., William Cripps of Acton, Ont., and Steven Papillon of Rockwood, Ont. Watchmeparty returned $10.10 to win at the betting windows.
It was a maiden breaking score as well in the first division, when Canadian Blondes and driver Louis-Philippe Roy teamed up earlier on the card for trainer Dave Menary.
Canadian Blondes landed the two-hole tuck on the first turn, tracking the pace-setting Midnight Matrimony (Doug McNair) through a :27.1 first split. Diamondsbestfriend (Bob McClure) brushed from fourth on the backstretch, assuming control before reaching the half in :55.4. Diamondsbestfriend opened up from there, separating by 3-1/4 lengths at three-quarters in 1:23.3. while Canadian Blondes raced a pinned-in third.
The chasers began to close the gap on Diamondsbestfriend in the lane, with Midnight Matrimony moving to the outside allowing clearance for Canadian Blondes along the cones. Sprinting home in :27.2, Canadian Blondes squeezed through just in time to beat out Diamondsbestfriend by a half-length in 1:52, with Midnight Matrimony just three parts of a length back in third.
The first win in six tries, Canadian Blondes now sports a bankroll of $33,100. The victorious daughter of Bettors Delight-Real Clout is owned by Pollack Racing of Venetia, PA. Canadian Blondes paid $6.70 to win.
The evening at Mohawk concluded with a $25,000 Pop-Up Series final for $8,000 claimers, with Gloryview Image (James MacDonald, $3.60) going first-up to outduel Titanic Hanover (Louis-Philippe Roy) in 1:51.2 for trainer Garry Merner.
There were also two $16,000 Pop-Up Series legs for trotters who started for a purse of $11,000 or less in their last three starts prior to the series. Merner also took the first division with Dahlquist Hanover (James MacDonald, $4) in 1:53.1, while the second division went to Oh Boy (Mark MacDonald, $13.90 in 1:53.4 for trainer Katie Remmerswaal.
To view Monday's harness racing results, click the following link: Monday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada; photo of Aceandaten)