Rideau Carleton Raceway regular John MacDonald picked up a catch drive aboard three-year-old trotting filly Here Comes Jenny on Friday evening and piloted the fan favourite to an Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots victory
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Starting from Post 5, MacDonald dropped Here Comes Jenny onto the rail behind Second Avenue and dogged the pacesetter through fractions of :28.3, :59.2 and 1:28.4. Tipping out in the stretch, Here Comes Jenny trotted by the leader to score a three-quarter length victory in 1:58.3. Second Avenue settled for second, with KA Jean three lengths back in third.
Russell, Ont. resident MacDonald engineered the victory for trainer Allen Tomlinson of Mason, Michigan and his partners Duane and Janice Chippi of Cass City, Michigan. The partners also bred the daughter of Here Comes Herbie and Jenny Rova, who boasts a record of four wins, two seconds and one third in 12 starts this season, for earnings of $53,765. The filly has amassed a total of 170 points in six Grassroots starts and heads into the Sept. 23 Semifinal in third spot in the division standings.
Extraordinaire and Honey Thorn were tied for first heading into Friday night’s showdown, and the fillies remain atop the standings with dominant victories in their respective divisions.
Extraordinaire and trainer-driver Wayne Henry romped to a five length victory in the third race, halting the teletimer at 1:57. The fan favourites bested Surveillance and Zorgwijk Lunar to pick up their fourth Grassroots trophy.
Henry shares ownership of Extraordinaire with his partners in the Henry Stable of Arthur, Ont. and Kaye Laverty of Sauble Beach, Ont. The Duke Of York daughter has posted five wins and one third in 12 starts this season for earnings of $79,430, and finishes up the season with 212 Grassroots points.
In Race 7, Honey Thorn’s margin of victory was even larger as the Here Comes Herbie daughter trotted under the wire eight lengths ahead of Tropical Breeze AS and Magical Paige in 1:58. Anthony MacDonald crafted the front end trip for trainer Christopher Beaver of Radnor, Ohio and his partner, and the filly’s breeder, Wilbur Lang of Jamestown, Ohio.
Honey Thorn captured three Grassroots trophies, and finished second twice and third once to match Extraordinaire’s 212 points.
The other Grassroots trophy went home with Quantum Victoria, her second straight. The Angus Hall miss and driver Scott Coulter sat third as fan favourite Youlneverwalkalone rang up fractions of :28 and :57.2, then swung to outside heading by the 1:27.4 three-quarters and cruised home to a one length victory in 1:58.2. Pocket-sitter Zorgwijk Locket got up for second, leaving Youlneverwalkalone to settle for third.
Mike Keeling conditions Quantum Victoria for Karen Carroll of Shedden, Ont. The filly made her first Grassroots start in the Sept. 12 event at Grand River Raceway, where she was a 2:00.2 winner, and assured herself of a berth in the post season with Friday’s triumph.
The top 20 point earners will now begin preparations for the Sept. 24 Semifinal round at Mohawk Racetrack. From each of the $30,000 Semifinals, the top five finishers will advance to the $100,000 Grassroots Championship at Mohawk on Oct. 1.
Rideau Carleton Raceway will host one more Grassroots event, as the two-year-old trotting colts head to Ottawa to wrap up their regular season on Friday, Sept. 16.
In Friday’s $13,000 Handicap Trot, Boy Meets Grill delivered his second win in three outings since being claimed by Henri Hebert Jr. of Papineauville, Que. for $15,000 on August 8 at Mohawk Racetrack and joining Gerard Demers’ barn. The six-year-old gelded son of Yankee Paco-Lean Cuisine converted from the pocket to win in 1:56.1, giving driver Guy Gagnon one of his four victories on the card. The 8-1 shot beat Celebrity Hercules, who rallied from last, by one and a quarter lengths. Silverado Dream finished third with pacesetter Mystical Ryan fading to fourth. The win was Boy Meets Grill’s 10th of the season in 24 starts.
For results from Friday’s harness racing card, click on the following link: Friday Results – Rideau Carleton Raceway.
(With files from OSS)