Sophomore pacing fillies made the trek to Mohawk Racetrack on Monday evening, as the Campbellville oval played host to a trio of $24,000 OSS Grassroots divisions.
Grins Little Flirt (149 Grassroots points) grabbed her second OSS trophy of the season thanks to her victory in the first division for the tandem of driver Doug McNair and trainer Sym Pryjma. The daughter of Grinfromeartoear-Pacific Hurricane, who was parked every step of the mile, used a :28.1 final frame to post the one-length victory over the tempo-setting Trama Unit in 1:52.3. Third prize went to Bruisers Sister.
Sent off at odds of 9-1, Grins Little Flirt improved this year’s record to 2-1-4 from 13 seasonal assignments. The four-time winner has stashed away $68,870 to date for owners Tony Basile of Toronto and Stephan Pryjma of Whitby, ON.
Jeremes Sweetheart (175 Grassroots points) racked up her third Grassroots victory of the season in the second division for the duo of driver Scott Zeron and trainer Casie Coleman. The daughter of Jeremes Jet-Fox Valley Evanna, who was sent off as the 1-5 favourite, enjoyed a pocket trip to the quarter pole before brushing to the lead in the backstretch. She cleared without a tussle and proceeded to knife out middle fractions of :56.4 and 1:24.3 before using a :28.1 closing quarter to win by 4-3/4 lengths over Aubsession in 1:52.4. Thats Mara was a fast-closing third once she found room in the lane.
After going winless in six starts during her rookie season, Jeremes Sweetheart has bounced back this year as noted in the 5-1-1 record she’s assembled from just 10 tries. The career winner of $112,300 is owned by Steve Calhoun of Chatham and West Wins Stable of Cambridge, ON.
Machleen (180 Grassroots points) was a wire-to-wire in the final division for driver Scott Zeron, who celebrated a stakes double on the Monday evening program. The Mark Austin-trained daughter of Mach Three-Aileens Luck, who was sent off as the 9-5 favourite, led through panels of :26.3, :55.3 and 1:24.1 before scooting home in :27.4 en route to stopping the teletimer in 1:52. Jet Speed was a rallying second, with third prize going to Eat Me Up.
The homebred, who races for Mark Austin Stables Inc of Fergus and Leo Thibodeau of Windsor, ON, now boasts a 4-2-4 record from 18 assignments this season. The six-time winner boosted her overall cash stash to $113,460 with the win.
The top sixteen point earners from this year’s Grassroots program will compete in a set of Grassroots Semi-Finals on September 19 at Grand River Raceway. The top four finishers from each of tilts will return to Grand River Raceway for the $100,000 final on September 29.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Mohawk Racetrack.