Driver Doug McNair captured two of the four $18,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots divisions for three-year-old filly pacers Sunday afternoon at Clinton Raceway. One of his victories was for his father Gregg, the other for trainer Tony O’Sullivan.
McNair started off the afternoon winning the first division. He sent Born To Dream directly to the top from post seven and she was never headed through fractions of :29.2, :59.4 and 1:28.2, where she fought off a challenge from Milliondollar Babe to win by three lengths in 1:56.4. Always Sunday took second while Milliondollar Babe held for third.
The win was the second this year, both at Clinton, for Born To Dream, a daughter of Camluck trained by O’Sullivan for owner/breeders Lomangino Standardbreds of New Jersey. She is the first foal of $665,000 winner Happy Dreamer.
McNair’s other OSS score was in the final division where he and Can Art cut the tempo of :27.4, :57.2 and 1:26.3 and managed to hold off a determined Murrayfield to win by a head in 1:56. Goldies Mach was third.
Gregg McNair trains the winner, a daughter of Artistic Fella owned by breeder Rob Chapple of Chatham, Ont. This was Can Art’s third win in 10 attempts this year.
Another father/son, trainer/driver combo was successful on the afternoon as Tyler Moore guided his dad’s Shadows Wonder to a come-from-behind victory in 1:55.3, the fastest of the four splits. She wore down pacesetter Shes A Hotmama, who held for second, while Medoland Lindeylou was third.
Dr. Ian Moore trains the winner he co-owns with R G McGroup Ltd. of New Brunswick and Serge Savard of Quebec, who also co-owned the filly’s sire Shadow Play. Shadows Wonder, who was victorious in her last start at Clinton in the Kin Pace on July 6, was recording her fourth win in 12 trips behind the gate this year.
Divisional track record holder Her Own Land also deployed gate-to-wire tactics for James MacDonald. The Blissfull Hall lass breezed through splits of :29.1, :59.2 and 1:27.4 to win in 1:56.3 over Momara and Miss Brandi K.
The win was the third in 10 tries for Her Own Land, who is trained by Dave Menary for Hutt Racing Stable of Pennsylvania.
The next Grassroots test for this group comes on August 17 at Georgian Downs.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Clinton Raceway.
(With files from OSS)