The opening night of Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots semi-finals on Thursday, Sept. 21 at Woodbine Mohawk Park featured the province's two-year-olds vying for spots in next weekend's lucrative finals, and the photo finish camera was put to work often with a number of close and tight finishes.
Thursday marked the first of two cards featuring OSS Grassroots competitors looking to finish in the top five of their elimination races to qualify for the $75,000 Finals on Saturday, Sept. 30 at Mohawk.
P L Rachel and Sylvain Filion kicked off the prevailing theme of the evening in the first race, winning the first $20,000 semi-final for two-year-old trotting fillies by a nose over Her Currency (Bob McClure) in a lifetime best 1:57. Tea Lake (Rick Zeron), Shestrotsalot (Trevor Henry) and Exciting Mia (Chris Christoforou) rounded out the top five to advance.
Matt Dupuis of Rockwood, Ont. trains and owns P L Rachel (Muscle Mass - Beholder), now a two-time winner in five starts with $25,190 in earnings. She paid $7.50 to win.
Flirty Dancer ($3.10) and driver Scott Young were all alone at the wire in the second semi-final for rookie trotting fillies, winning her third straight Grassroots contest and fourth overall with a 1:57.1 tally. Abikadabra (McClure) was three lengths in arrears, with Birthday Money (Matt Bax), West River Ivory (Paul MacDonell) and Karens Dream (Tyler Borth) also advancing to the Grassroots final.
Now a five-time winner with $55,756 in earnings, Flirty Dancer is trained by Paul Reid of De Leon Springs, Fl., and he also co-owns the daughter of Lookslikeachpndale - Hola Lola with Brian Kleinberg of Madison, N.J. and Richard Beinhauer of Venetia, Pa.
Greatest Pleasure provided trainer Luc Blais with the first of his two wins on the night, scoring with Louis-Philippe Roy in the first semi-final for pacing fillies in 1:52.3. Pasta Delight (Tyler Jones) recovered from interference to finish second, less than two lengths back. Make Out With Me (Tyler Borth), How Much (Phil Hudon) and Scrivener Hanover (Young) will join the front pair in next week's Grassroots final.
Determination of Montreal, Que. owns Greatest Pleasure (Bettors Delight - Twin B Imabeach), now a four-time winner this season with $45,572 in earnings. She returned $7.80 on a $2 win wager.
Her main rival appears to be Betterwithglasses, who was never better than on Thursday night. Trevor Henry found a seam with her late, and she responded to that left-line request with a 1:52.2 lifetime best performance. Bonitas Best Bet (Roy) was a length back in second ahead of Cheese Party (Austin Sorrie), Tribal Dancer (Borth) and Grannys Watching (Filion).
Betterwithglasses (Betterthancheddar - London Eye) is co-owned by trainer Victor Puddy of Mountain, Ont. along with 10462217 Canada Inc. of Gloucester,Ont., Michael Horwood of Tecumseh, Ont. and Lloyd Stone of Portland, Ont. The filly, who paid a healthy $16.20, now sports three wins with $44,739 in earnings. This win also marked the 7,500th driving victory of Trevor Henry's career.
Despite only one win, Salem Seelster had been favoured in four of his six starts prior to tonight's contest. The betting public once again showed faith in the rookie trotting colt, and he rewarded his backers and connections with a lifetime best 1:56 score. He was a head better than tempo-setter Ways And Means (MacDonell) with R No Mercy (Travis Cullen), Hilarious Archie (McClure) and Alexander (Christoforou) also punching tickets to the final.
A two-time winner with $22,140 in purses, Salem Seelster (Muscle Mass - Speak Of The Devil) is trained by Blais for Determination. He paid $3.50 to win.
Speaking of determination, rookie trotting colt Nzuri ($2.60, pictured above) gets full marks for his recovery to not only qualify for the Grassroots final but win his elim race. Trevor Henry lost the 3-10 favourite heading into the first turn, spotting the field more than 12 lengths, but got the colt to reset and rally for the improbable 1:57.2 victory by a head over Northernchancellor (Sorrie). Brutalizer (Filion), Gaelic Piper (Jones) and Royal Duharas (Loic Gueriel) rounded out the top five.
Paul Walker trains and co-owns Nzuri (Muscle Mass - Tomorrows Dream) along with Julie Walker of Carlisle and Rodney Foulds of Owen Sound, Ont. The trotting gelding has won half of six appearances, banking $41,172 thus far.
T H Mcmurry ($2.10) spoke loud and clear that he'll be the one to knock off in the Grassroots final for two-year-old pacing colts with a 1:52.1 score to conclude the semi-final action on Thursday night. The -19 favourite coasted to victory for driver Roy by two lengths over Unrivaled Hanover (Jonathan Drury), Astarwasborn (Filion), Enforcer (Cullen) and Stonebridge Thrill (Borth).
A four-time winner with $87,166 in earnings, T H Mcmurry (Mcwicked - Waasmula) will look to push that bankroll into six figure territory next week for trainer Jeff Taylor, who co-owns with Siobhan Andrusek Ottawa, Ont. and Graeme Mitchell of Gloucester, Ont.
T H Mcmurry's brother from another mother, Live A Glove will try to spoil that party. In a wild finish with six horses a half length apart, Live A Glove ($20.40) was a head the best in 1:52.2, with D A Mcdreamy (Drury), Century Komodo (McClure), Wicked Prince (Roy) and Vis A Vis Bluechip (Henry) just missing the winner but qualifying for revenge and the Grassroots final.
Wayne Eric Whebby of Dartmouth, N.S. owns and Dr. Ian Moore trains Like A Glove (Mcwicked - Twin B Virtue), now a three-time winner with $27,380 in earnings.
To view the results from Thursday's card of harness racing at Woodbine Mohawk Park, click the following link: Thursday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.