Western Empress cemented her position atop the two-year-old pacing filly Grassroots standings with an effortless victory at Rideau Carleton Raceway on Sunday evening.
Starting from the outside Post 8, driver Keith Oliver eased Western Empress off the starting gate and dropped her into fifth spot on the rail as Pertty Music and Ride Em Cowgirl powered out to a :27.3 quarter. As Ride Em Cowgirl led the field to a :57 half, Oliver sent Western Empress up the outside and the pair made steady progress on the leader, closing to within a head by the 1:26 three-quarters. Once she had conquered the pacesetter, Western Empress carried on to a two length victory in 1:55.2, matching the personal best she recorded last weekend at Hiawatha Horse Park. Pocket-sitter Pertty Music paced into second behind the fan favourites with Expresso Yourself completing the top three.
Bob McIntosh trains both Western Empress and Expresso Yourself. The Windsor, Ont. resident shares ownership of Western Empress with Al McIntosh Holdings Inc. of Leamington, Ont. and Larry Pollard of Harrow, Ont. The partners also bred the daughter of Western Maverick and Northern Empress, who boasts a record of five wins and two seconds in seven starts for earnings of $57,625.
With four wins and one second in her five Grassroots starts, Western Empress wrapped up the regular season with 225 points and leads the field into the Sept. 21 Semifinals at Grand River Raceway.
A win in the second division gave Senorita Santanna her second Grassroots trophy and boosted her up the standings from 11th to third. Driver Jody Jamieson sent Senorita Santanna straight to the front from Post 3 and the pair rolled through fractions of :27.2, :56.2, and 1:26.1 before battling to a one-quarter length victory over challenger Jettin Jamie in 1:55.4. Prettyndangerous finished three lengths behind the leaders in third.
Carl Jamieson of Princeton, Ont. trains Senorita Santanna for his partners Thomas Kyron of Toronto and George Harrison of Preston, England. Through seven starts the Santanna Blue Chip daughter has amassed two wins, one second and one third for earnings of $35,700. Sunday’s win boosted the filly’s point tally to 145.
The final Grassroots trophy went home with Cams Macharena, who rocketed around the Rideau Carleton oval on the front end to a 1:54.2 personal best. Doug McNair crafted the mile, which saw the filly hang on for a head victory over fan favourite Utica Bayama. Upfrontwhosurlady was four and three-quarter lengths back in third.
Sunday’s Post 3 was the first inside post Cams Macharena had seen in four Grassroots starts and the filly took full advantage of the opportunity it offered. The victory boosted the Mach Three daughter from 23rd to ninth in the point standings and earned her a berth in the post season.
Tony O’Sullivan trains Cams Macharena for Chris Arold and Michael Drury of Strongsville, Ohio and Kenneth Kohut of Independence, Ohio. In six starts the youngster has tallied three wins and one third for earnings of $30,080.
The top 16 point earners will now begin preparations for the Sept. 21 Semifinals at Grand River Raceway, and the top four finishers from each $30,000 Semifinal will compete in the Grassroots Championship at Grand River on Sept. 29.
In regular Sunday racing action at Rideau, Jamie Copley earned a training triple with Peter Pumpkineater, Dash Board Lights and See The Judge.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Rideau Carleton Raceway.
(With files from OSS)