Division-point leader Fit Bitt kicked off the third Grassroots Leg for the two-year-old trotting colts at Woodbine Mohawk Park Tuesday, Aug. 6, battling to his second-straight victory in the Ontario Sires Stakes program.
Driver Sylvain Filion fired Fit Bitt away from post 8 and the pair trotted by the opening quarter in :29.1. Through a :59.4 half and 1:30.1 three-quarters Fit Bitt was comfortably in charge, and when the challengers came in the stretch the Bob McIntosh trainee was ready to battle, reaching the wire a neck in front of Gretzky Seelster and Tymal Tarot in 2:00.4.
“He raced really good. He’s a nice little colt, he’s pretty quick too. He’s just a nice horse,” said McIntosh, who bred and owns Fit Bitt in partnership with C S X Stables. “He showed a lot of talent all winter really. He showed he had a lot of promise, so I’m glad it’s worked out the way it has. I wouldn’t say he’s a superstar, but he’s a pretty nice colt."
In three Grassroots starts the son of Muscle Mass and $462,826 winner Armbro Affair has tallied two wins and one second for 125 points and sole ownership of top spot in the division point standings. He will be looking to add to that tally when the freshman trotters make their fourth Grassroots start at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Sept. 3.
Mr Arch took the second $23,500 division with an effort that saw him take control just after the :29.4 half and ring up fractions of 1:01.1 and 1:32.1 on his way to a two length victory in 2:01. Lifeisgood Hanover finished second and Dart Guy was three more lengths back in third.
“He got it real easy,” said driver Bob McClure, adding that the last eighth of a mile was where the Archangel son showed off his true ability. “Once he got going in the stretch he stopped watching the birds and focussed on his work.”
McClure drove Mr Arch to his first win for trainer Richard “Nifty” Norman and owners Kempii Stables OY Inc. and Suojalampi Stable Inc. The partners acquired the colt from last fall’s Harrisburg Yearling Sale for $27,000.
The quickest mile of the five Grassroots divisions was clocked by Lovedbythemasses, who stalked favourite Awsomedabra through the first three-quarters of the mile and then shifted into another gear around the final turn and drew away to a four-and-one-quarter length win in 1:57.3. Awsomedabra settled for second and Magic Wizard completed the top three.
Mike Saftic piloted Lovedbythemasses to his second-straight Grassroots win for trainer Edward Peconi and his partners Wade Peconi and Nicholas Peconi. The Muscle Mass son is two-for-two in his young career and currently sits second in the standings with 100 points.
In the fourth division Royaltys Odyssey made his Grassroots debut a winning one with a bold three-wide move at the three-quarter pole. Starting from post 8, driver Jody Jamieson eased the Royalty For Life gelding off the gate and was sitting sixth in the outer lane when favourite Kenogami Coco reached the quarter in :28.2.
Still sixth at the :59.3 half, Jamieson sent the youngster out wide heading by the 1:30.1 three-quarters and powered off the final turn to a three-quarter lengths victory in 1:59.3. After providing a wind break for Royaltys Odyssey, Youboozeyoulose stayed game for second and Kenogami Coco settled for third.
Jamieson drives the gelding for his father Carl Jamieson and breeder Joanne Morrison. The rural Milton resident said the gelding has recovered well from minor surgery last winter and will be looking to add to his point total in the last two regular season events.
“He needed every day until today to be able to put it all together,” said Jamieson. “He may have a big chance at Grassroots glory.”
The top 20 point earners through the five regular season events will compete in the Grassroots Semi-Finals at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Sept. 27, with the top five finishers from each Semi-Final advancing to the Oct. 5 Grassroots Championship.
The last division went to Magic Bob, who started his provincial career with a pair of off-the-board finishes at the Gold Series level. The change in competition suited the Kadabra son and driver Trevor Henry, who controlled the tempo for much of the race on the way to a 1:58.3 win. I Got The Looks finished two and one-quarter lengths back in second and Massman was third.
Magic Bob’s win was the second of the night for New Jersey-based trainer Richard “Nifty” Norman, who conditions the gelding for breeders Melvin Hartman and Herb Liverman and their partners David McDuffee and Little E LLC.
Magic Bob’s former Gold Series peers will gather at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Thursday, Aug. 8 for the third event of their season. The first race gets under way at 7:10 p.m. and the trotting colts will compete in Races 2 and 6.
Somebeachsometime stormed by rivals in the stretch to win in the second leg of the Whenuwishuponastar Series.
The two-year-old daughter of Somebeachsomewhere paced home in :26.3, part of a :53.3 back-half, to come from sixth for the stunning victory in the second leg of the three-week event.
Driven by Jody Jamieson, Somebeachsometime got away last in the field of seventh and remained in that position at the midway point. Even-money choice Caviart Jane moved to the top from third in the second-quarter and led the field by the half in :56.
Caviart Jane paced a :28.1 third quarter to lead the field into the stretch. Meanwhile, Jamieson moved to the outside approaching three-quarters to sit just over seven-lengths from the top.
The stretch drive saw Caviart Jane hold a clear lead at the eighth-pole, but the far outside saw a pair of fillies charging. Lady Lou, who was second over and five lengths off at three-quarters, was making up ground late, but Somebeachsometime was storming up just a bit quicker.
Caviart Jane surrendered the lead late and watched Somebeachsometime prevail by a head over Lady Lou in 1:52.1. Libspeak finished fourth.
Trained by Dave Menary, Somebeachsometime was a $65,000 Harrisburg Yearling Sale purchase and is the first foal out of Well Said mare Talk Time. She finished fourth in her debut last week, pacing home in :26 and now has a victory and $8,700 earned for owners Menary Racing Inc, Michael Guerriero, Kenneth Ewen and Bruce Norris.
A $2 win ticket on Somebeachsometime returned $4.80.
Round one winners Alexa Skye and Reflect With Me did not compete in the second leg. The $50,000 series final will take place next Tuesday (Aug. 13).
Live racing resumes Thursday evening, Aug. 8 at Mohawk Park. Post time is 7:10 p.m.
(with files from Ontario Sires Stakes & Woodbine Mohawk Park)
To view Tuesday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Tuesday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
To my great friend Jr. Peconi
To my great friend Jr. Peconi who started the season with one baby. Congratulations!