Two local fillies found their way to the winner’s circle in Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots action at Rideau Carleton Raceway on Friday evening.
Princess Lilly led off for the local team in Race 3, laying down an impressive 2:01.3 mile that saw her hit the wire eight and one-quarter lengths ahead of two other locally owned freshman trotting fillies, Armstead Kyra and Twiggys Twick. Dr. Roland Armitage of Dunrobin, Ont. owns Armstead Kyra and Ottawa resident Jules Sigler shares ownership of Twiggys Twick with Denis Filion of Mirabel, Que. and Sonia Moderie of Saint-Andre-D’Argenteuil, Que.
The win was the third straight and the fourth this season for Princess Lilly, who is owned by Les Ecuries Piramidan of Gatineau, Que. Mario Baillargeon drives and Ben Baillargeon conditions the talented daughter of Muscle Mass, who wrapped up the regular season in a tie for fourth and will make her next start in the Sept. 21 Grassroots Semifinals at Grand River Raceway.
In the next $24,000 division Oaklea Veronica sprinted home to a one and one-quarter length victory over Tymal Textme and Busta Thunder in 2:04.3.
Kenmore, Ont. resident Jamie Copley trains Oaklea Veronica for his partner Louis Lecuyer of Ottawa and the pair cheered the filly to two wins and one second in seven starts. With one win and one second in her two Grassroots appearances the Pegasus Spur daughter finished with 75 points, just four short of the cut off for the top 16.
Joining local fillies Princess Lilly and Armstead Kyra in the post season will be Ballade, owned by Dr. Frederick Albert of Prescott, Ont., who logged a third-place result in her Grassroots division behind Massive Babe and Frisky Magic. Massive Babe hit the wire one length on top in 2:02.2.
Juho Ihamuotila of Grand Valley, Ont. drives, trains and owns Massive Babe, who jumped from 22nd in the standings up to eighth with Friday’s win. The Muscle Mass filly was also a Grassroots winner at Georgian Downs on Aug. 7.
Stormont Hotplate, owned by breeders Stormont Meadows, will also advance to the post season in spite of finishing out of the top five in the Grassroots division captured by Twin B Alibi.
Trainer-driver Wayne Henry engineered the trip that saw Twin B Alibi claim the 2:04.4 victory over Thats My Thing and Ocean Mist Beauty. Arthur, Ont. resident Henry shares ownership of Twin B Alibi with Daylon Farms Ltd. of Komoka, Ont. and Daniel McCann of Parkhill, Ont. The Angus Hall daughter’s second Grassroots victory propelled her into third spot in the standings.
The other Grassroots divisions were captured by Swishnflick in 2:03; Random Margin in 2:05.1; and division point leader Orderingin, who halted the teletimer at 2:05.
Swishnflick was the first of four wins on the 15 race card for the team of driver Gord Brown and trainer Mark Steacy. The pair also picked up victories between the OSS action with Endless Desire, Noble Warrawee, and Catch A Dragon. Brown went on to win the finale with Weekend Love for trainer Rod Zeron to push his own win total to five for the night.
The top 16 Grassroots point earners will now begin preparations for post season action, which gets under way with two $30,000 Semifinals at Grand River Raceway on Sept. 21. The top four finishers from each Semifinal will return to Grand River for the $100,000 Grassroots Championship on Sept. 29.
Rideau Carleton Raceway will wrap up its 2012 Ontario Sires Stakes season on Oct. 4 and 11 with Gold Series action for the three-year-old pacing fillies.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Rideau Carleton Raceway.
(OSS)