Eat Me Up paced around the Hanover Raceway oval in a personal best 1:55 on Saturday evening, claiming the fastest victory of seven $24,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots divisions and sole ownership of top spot in the two-year-old pacing filly point standings
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Lining up from Post 6 in the sixth race, driver Tony Kerwood moved the filly sharply away from the starting gate and Eat Me Up was sitting third when fan favourite Sauble Claire posted the :27.1 opening quarter. Both fillies were sitting to the outside of Windmachine, and Kerwood opted to drop onto the rail in third as Sauble Claire and driver Trevor Henry carried on to claim the lead before the :56.1 half.
As Sauble Claire paced by three-quarters in 1:25.2, Kerwood tipped Eat Me Up to the outside and the Mach Three daughter had reeled in Windmachine by the time she turned for home. With only Sauble Claire standing between her and a fourth Grassroots trophy, Eat Me Up kicked into high gear and sprinted home to a one and one-half length triumph in 1:55. Sauble Claire, owned and bred by Sauble Hill Farms of Tara, Ont., settled for second, with Bruisers Sister four and one-half lengths back in third.
Kerwood engineered the victory for trainer Gord Remmen and owner David Ratchford of North Sydney N.S. Through eight starts this season the talented youngster has scored seven wins and one second for earnings of $97,450. The only loss on Eat Me Up’s card came in the Battle of the Belles Final at Grand River Raceway on Aug. 1 when she finished second to Your Beautiful from Post 7.
Arthur, Ont. resident Trevor Henry picked up a catch drive aboard Katys Jet in the fifth race and piloted the Casie Coleman trainee to a front end victory in 1:56.2. Almost Midnight traveled up the outside into second, while Memumsnotnice circled out three-wide to claim the third-place share of the $24,000 Grassroots purse.
The win boosted Katys Jet up the division standings, giving her a total of 112 points with one event remaining on the freshman pacing fillies’ regular season calendar. Coleman conditions the Jeremes Jet daughter for Steve Calhoun of Chatham, Ont., and has sent the filly postward six times for a record of two wins, one second and two thirds and earnings of $35,930.
Former Hanover, Ont. resident Mark Etsell made a triumphant return to his old stomping grounds, steering Regal Attitude to a five and one-quarter length victory in 1:56.1. Starting from Post 4, Etsell and the Stonebridge Regal daughter controlled the tempo from gate-to-wire, with second and third-place finishers Canjet and Baubletina pacing along in their wake.
Owned by David Snowden of Bowmanville, Ont., Regal Attitude started her career with a Gold elimination win in the June 26 season opener at Flamboro Downs, but trainer-driver Etsell opted to move her into the Grassroots for the Aug. 13 event at Georgian Downs, where she picked up her second lifetime victory. Through seven starts Regal Attitude has earned three wins and two seconds for earnings of $55,750 and currently boasts a point total of 125.
Puslinch, Ont. resident Paul Mackenzie scored a pair of Grassroots victories at Hanover on Saturday, steering Machet Rocket to a front end victory in the first division and Lyons Luck to a 1:56.1 score in the second last.
Mackenzie and Machet Rocket hit the wire one and one-half lengths ahead of Fine Art Mindale, with Village Bound five more lengths back in third. The Mach Three daughter halted the teletimer at 1:57.1, to record her second Grassroots victory for trainer Murray Brethour of Sunderland, Ont., and his partners Noblock Racing Stable of Collingwood, Ont. and Fred Brayford of Alliston, Ont.
Aboard Lyons Luck, Mackenzie stalked pacesetter In Regal Attire from the pocket and then sprinted by in the stretch to a one and three-quarter length victory. In Regal Attire had to settle for second, with favourite Wine After Five completing the triactor. James Ciaran Morrison trains Lyons Luck for Joseph Lyons Mound of Burford. Ont.
Palm Patrol, with a 1:56.1 clocking, and Regally Blond, who delivered a 1:56.2 effort to score her first lifetime win, captured the other two Grassroots trophies.
The two-year-old pacing fillies complete their regular season on Sept. 14 at Flamboro Downs, and the top 16 point earners from the regular season will then advance to a pair of Semifinals at Mohawk Racetrack on Sept. 23. The top four finishers from each Semifinal will earn a berth in the $100,000 Grassroots Championship at Mohawk on Oct. 1.
Saturday’s impressive showing by the freshman pacing fillies helped wrap up Hanover Raceway’s 2011 season.
The Raceway's season ending draw for a $3,000 vacation voucher courtesy of Advantage Hanover Travel, Nolitours, and Transat Holidays was won by Jim Spence of Hanover, Ont. Hanover also held a number of other draws, including the Red Carpet and Win The Thrill contests.
On Saturday night, Hanover hosted Meadowlands announcer Ken Warkentin, who called some races, did a meet and greet with fans, and helped hand out the season ending trophies to the track's top horses and horsemen.
Paul Taylor won top dash trainer for the ninth year in a row while Bruce Richardson was top driver. Ringlabel was the Ab Fleishauer Horse of the Year. Miss Kaylee Em was the Claiming Pacer of the Year and Lucky George was the Claiming Trotter of the Year. Wish N Win was the Trotter of the Year, and Todd Begley was the Ray and Lue Leifso top non-driving Trainer of the Year.
For results from Saturday's harness racing card, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Hanover Raceway.
(With files from OSS & Hanover Raceway)
Thanks again Gord and
Thanks again Gord and company for yet another exciting year of racing in Hanover, right down to the final night!!! Well done guys. Hanover puts on a great show week after week, the people are incredible fans of the sport. Thanks all for your hard work.