Woodstock Raceway’s 2010 Ontario Sires Stakes season wrapped up on an exciting note Saturday, as Idle Time sprinted around the half-mile oval to a new two-year-old trotting colt track record
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Starting from Post 1 in the second $24,000 Grassroots division, trainer-driver Joe Hudon had Idle Time in gear early. The colt accelerated away from the starting gate and was four lengths ahead of his peers when he reached the quarter pole in :29.4. Through a 1:01.2 half and 1:31.2 three-quarters the other colts were unable to close the gap and Idle Time sailed across the finish a three length winner in a track record 2:01.2. The former two-year-old trotting colt record of 2:02.4 was held by Smedshammer.
The only colt who kept up with Idle Time, Psychic Turmoil (Trevor Ritchie) earned the second-place finisher’s share of the Grassroots purse. Third-place finisher Duke Of Glory (Bruce Richardson) was a full 17 lengths behind the winner.
Acton, ON resident Hudon conditions Idle Time for R A W Equine Inc. of Burlington, ON. The son of Angus Hall and Nowhere Fast started his Ontario Sires Stakes career with a victory in the Grassroots season opener at Hiawatha Horse Park on July 15, then stepped up to the Gold Series level for his second provincial outing. At Grand River Raceway on July 28, Idle Time finished second in his Gold elimination, but one week later the young trotter finished last in the Gold Final.
Saturday’s outing was Idle Time’s first since the August 4 Gold Final and boosted the trotter’s record to two wins and one second in four starts for earnings of $34,000.
Local favourite Bob From Brussels was an effortless winner in the third Grassroots division, sailing around the Woodstock oval on the front end to a two length victory over Frill Seeker (Ron Waples, Jr.) and Random Holdup (Ken Wiese). The Here Comes Herbie son stopped the clock at 2:08.1 in his second Grassroots victory.
Lyle MacArthur of St. George Brant, ON trains and drives Bob From Brussels for Anne Shunock of Dorchester, ON. Through six starts this season the diminutive colt has posted three wins and two seconds for earnings of $38,020, and currently sits atop the two-year-old trotting colt standings with 125 points accumulated through two wins and one second in three Grassroots starts.
It was a profitable day for the Henry family at Woodstock. Trainer-driver Wayne Henry landed two horses in the Grassroots winner’s circle and finished third with another, brother Trevor Henry piloted a colt trained by his wife Shannon Henry to a win, and their nephew Nick Henry picked up one win and a second.
Wayne Henry scored his first victory in the fourth race, guiding Major Herbie to a 2:03.3 victory over P C La Mousse (Ross Battin) and Ready To Cruise (Mario Baillargeon). The horseman engineered the victory for his partners in the Henry Stable of Arthur, ON and Daniel McCann of Parkhill, ON. Through six starts the Here Comes Herbie son has three wins — two Grassroots and one Gold elimination — to his credit and earnings of $62,075.
The Arthur resident was back in front of the Woodstock track photographer following the last Grassroots division, posing with victor Reelie, who bested Frenchmen, trained and driven by Nick Henry, and High Stakes Banker (Terry Kerr) by three lengths in the 2:04.3 mile.
The recent addition of trotting hopples clearly gave Reelie the additional stability he required, allowing him to record his first flawless race mile of the season. The Henry Stable and Mike Mattine of Burlington, ON share ownership on Reelie, a son of Duke Of York and Reel It In.
Husband and wife team Trevor and Shannon Henry of Arthur teamed up to win the seventh race with Starlitestarbrite, who hit the wire in 2:04.4. Look Dont Talk (Randy Fritz) finished three-quarters of a length back in second and Deweys Timesr Good, in rein to Wayne Henry, picked up the third-place spoils.
The win was Starlitestarbrite’s first in six attempts and boosts the Angus Hall son’s earnings to $25,395 for owners Trevor Henry and Daniel McCann.
Nick Henry’s moment in the spotlight came in the sixth race when he and New Favorite romped around the Woodstock oval so far in front it might as well have been a training mile. When the pair hit the wire they were 24 lengths ahead of Put Your Dukes Up (Robert Shepherd) and Revonah Hanover (Mario Baillargeon).
The 2:02.4 victory was the second straight in Grassroots action for Holy Guacamolie son New Favorite. Mount Forest, ON resident Nick Henry trains the gelding for his partners Robin O’Toole and David Devine, also of Mount Forest.
The other Grassroots divisions went to Assignment (Ted Jacobs) in 2:05.3 and Tamarind (Mark Steacy) in 2:06.
The two-year-old trotting colts now make their way to Georgian Downs for their second last regular season Grassroots contest on September 28.
Woodstock Raceway’s 2010 Ontario Sires Stakes season will go down in the record books for producing two new speed standards. In addition to Idle Time’s track record on Saturday, three-year-old pacing filly Heavenly Ash also set a 1:54.3 track record in Grassroots action in August.
To view Saturday's results, click here.
(With files from OSS)
The track record at
The track record at Woodstock was held by Smedshammer for a few races then it was broken that day by Striker Springs in a time of 202.1.