Two-year-old trotting colt Euro Man was all business at Woodstock Raceway on Friday afternoon, firing out of Post 2 and rolling along on the front end to his second straight Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots victory.
With regular reinsman Scott Coulter at the controls, Euro Man delivered fractions of :31, 1:02 and 1:33.2 on his way to a 2:02.3 victory. The son of Cornaro Dasolo finished two and a half lengths ahead of Power Move and Massive Hit.
Gerald Sloan trains Euro Man for his wife Joanne Sloan. The colt was bred and raised at the couple’s Harley farm. After a seventh-place result in the Grassroots season opener at Clinton Raceway on July 8, Euro Man has netted two straight Grassroots trophies. He was also a 2:04.1 winner at Hiawatha Horse Park on July 19.
Oaklea Vulcan and driver Ronald Henderson also employed front end tactics to earn top spot in the second $24,000 Grassroots division on Friday. Recording a personal best 2:02.2 effort, the Pegasus Spur son hit the wire 11 and a quarter lengths ahead of Oaklea Viper, with Parkhill Jugernaut a few more lengths back in third.
Daniel Dupuis of Windsor trains Oaklea Vulcan for his partner Herbert Swinhoe of Windsor. The partners purchased the colt for a mere $600 at last year’s Fall Extravaganza Mixed Sale. Like Euro Man, Oaklea Vulcan has two Grassroots wins and one out of the money finish to his credit for earnings of $24,000 and a Grassroots point tally of 100. Sixth behind Euro Man at Hiawatha Horse Park, Oaklea Vulcan captured his first trophy at the Clinton Raceway event with a 2:07.2 effort.
Also starting from Post 1, driver Anthony MacDonald stuck with a proven formula and sent Krim Boughalem straight to the front in the third division. The Angus Hall son hung on through the stretch to earn a half length victory over Muscle Max, halting the teletimer at 2:04. Super Duke was promoted to third when Talking Story made a late break.
Gerard Demers conditions Krim Boughalem for Les Ecuries Gld Inc. of Papineauville, Que. The gelding started his Ontario Sires Stakes career at the Gold Series level, finishing third and fifth in two Gold elimination outings and fifth in the July 4 Gold Final at Flamboro Downs.
Trainer Mark Steacy piloted two of his charges to Grassroots victory at Woodstock on Friday, landing Treasury in the winner’s circle following the fourth race and Mr Vs Victory the top spot in the seventh division.
Treasury delivered an impressive effort from the outside Post 7, sweeping up three-wide at the three-quarter marker and powering down the stretch to a half length victory in 2:05. Green Strike, owned by 493807 Ontario Inc. of Waterford and 574238 Ontario Inc. of Wilsonville, finished second and pacesetter Bambino Babe settled for third. Don Wan Veeba, owned by trainer Norman Campbell of Thamesford, finished fourth.
The win was Treasury’s second in as many Grassroots starts and boosted the Majestic Son colt’s earnings to $24,000. A $110,000 investment at last fall’s Harrisburg Yearling Sale, Treasury is owned by Landmark V Racing Stable of Kingston, David McDonald of Cornwall, George Judson of Athens and Stan Klemencic of Trenton.
With the more favourable Post 3 in the seventh race, Steacy sent Mr Vs Victory straight to the front and the Kadabra son cruised home a two and one-quarter length winner in 2:03.2. Change The Future and Spread The Wealth finished second and third.
Steacy conditions Mr Vs Victory for owner-breeders Hudson Standrdbrd Stb Inc. of Hudson, Que. In his Grassroots debut at Hiawatha Horse Park on July 19 the first foal from $169,275 winner Armbro Equinox finished third.
The other Grassroots trophies went home with Kennel Buddy in 2:05.1; Ale Ale Jandro in 2:03.2; and Eat Pray Trot in 2:04.3.
The two-year-old trotting colts begin the second half of their Grassroots season on August 14 at Georgian Downs.
Friday’s Grassroots contest completed Woodstock Raceway’s 2012 Ontario Sires Stakes season, which also featured Grassroots action by the two-year-old pacing fillies on July 20.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results- Woodstock Raceway.
(OSS)