Three-year-old trotting colts and geldings were in the spotlight at Georgian Downs on Tuesday, and many of the sophomores were looking for some late-season points in the race to this year’s OSS Grassroots Semi-Finals.
The Northern Dude (125 Grassroots points) got the party started with a gate-to-wire score in 1:58 in the opening division. Chris Christoforou hustled the colt through panels of :28.3, :58.3 and 1:28.3 over the sloppy oval before using a :29.2 closing quarter to seal the deal by one length over R Raised Emotions. Magical Victory rallied to grab third prize.
Sent off as the 6-5 favourite, the son of Ken Warkentin-L R Alleys Concern struck a pose in the winner’s circle for the third time this season and for the fourth time in his career. The winner of $88,150 is owned by trainer Susie Kerwood of Rockwood, breeder Ann Munn of Guelph and David Nicol of Mount Hope, ON.
Call Me Hanover (125 Grassroots points) was unraced as a rookie, but he’s now put together a 5-for-8 record this year thanks in part to his 1:59.4 score in the second division. The son of Kadabra-Chiptease, who was sent off as the 2-1 choice, led the field through intervals of :28, :58.4 and 1:29.1 for driver Maria Flink before cruising home in :30.3 to notch the win. It was 1-1/4 lengths back to runner-up, Kaffir Kemp. Our Mojo, who at the start of the night was the top point earner in the Grassroots this season, finished third.
Trainer Tommy Andersson of Grand Valley, ON co-owns the career winner of $53,350 with Courant AB of Halmstad, SWE.
Somebody AS (150 Grassroots points) is now 3-for-3 in his OSS Grassroots assignments this season thanks to his front-stepping triumph in the third division for driver Billy Davis, Jr. The 1-2 favourite was on top through fractions of :29.2, :59.4 and 1:28.4 before jetting home in a :29-second clip en route to nabbing a new lifetime mark of 1:57.4. Runner-up Touchdown Toss was a length in arrears, with House Money a bang-up third in the $24,000 tilt.
Anette Lorentzon trains the homebred for ACL Stuteri Inc of Paris, KY. Unraced as a rookie, the youngster has come out firing this season as noted in the 5-2-1 record he’s assembled in his first 10 appearances. He’s managed to stash away $54,285 in the process.
Northern Victory (158 Grassroots points) also used the old ‘catch me if you’ approach to winning his $24,000 assignment over 3-2 favourite Ill Be There in 1:58.1. Sylvain Filion marched the colt to engine and laid down panels of :28.3, :59 and 1:28.1 before scooting home in a :30-second clip en route to the one-length triumph. Duke Of Vegas rounded out the top three finishers in the seven-horse affair.
Robert Montgomery of Carp, ON owns and Gerard Demers trains the son of Amigo Hall-Yankee Nugget, who now boasts a 3-4-0 record from 17 seasonal assignments. He went 3-for-10 last year en route to banking close to $90,000. He’s stashed away $47,940 this season and more than $137,000 to date.
The Golden Child (71 Grassroots points) went to the front and didn’t look back in his division for trainer/driver Mark Etsell, who watched the homebred notch his first OSS Grassroots victory of the season. The gelding sliced out speed splits of :27.2, :57 and 1:25.3 before walking home in :31.2 to win by a mere half-length margin over Cimeronken. Osprey Vision completed the Triactor ticket.
Sent off as the 6-5 favourite, The Golden Child won for the third time this season for the partnership of Etsell, Neil Spahr and Rob Newton. The son of Striking Sahbra-Vision Of Gold, who is a five-time winner to date, has racked up $36,993 in earnings this season and more than $66,000 in his career.
Northern Escort (133 Grassroots points) gave Sylvain Filion his stakes victory – and his fourth overall win – on the card thanks to a come-from-behind tally in 1:57.3. The son of Kadabra-Tease Please came on strong in the stretch to haul down the odds-on runner-up, Summer Indian, and Deck The Halls, who was a lapped-on third.
Justin Filion trains the seven-time winner for Les Ecuries JYJ Inc of St-Andre-D’Argenteuil, QC. He went 1-for-3 last season, but now boasts a 6-for-15 record this year. The career winner of $116,953 has put away more than $104,000 on his card this season.
P L Fantastic (62 Grassroots points) picked up a much-needed 50 points thanks to his dominant score in the seventh division for driver Chris Christoforou. The 3-5 favourite wasted no time setting up shop on the lead, and once he got there it was game over for everyone else. He led through fractions of :28.1, :59.1 and 1:28 before using a :29.3 kicker to win by four lengths in 1:57.3. Strike The Cheque was next best, and The Bronx Bumper grabbed the bronze medal.
Matt Dupuis trains the homebred son of Majestic Son-Corrinas Mission for Prince Lee Acres of Uxbridge, ON. The gelding, who was making just his second OSS Grassroots appearance of the season, went 2-for-6 last year and now owns a 2-for-10 record in 2012. He’s managed to stash away more than $68,000 in his career.
Oaklea Uptown (116 Grassroots points) was winless in his first four OSS Grassroots assignments of the season, but he came away victorious in his fifth kick at the can for the team of driver Billy Davis, Jr. and trainer Julie Walker. Davis sat just off the lead with the gelding for the first half of the contest before brushing his charge to the top and then holding on to win by a head over Heres The Magic, who was sent off as the 3-2 favourite, by a head in a career-best clocking of 1:57. Nowucit Nowudont set the early tempo before fading to finish third.
The homebred son of Mutineer-Oaklea Lark, who didn’t race as a rookie, now owns a 3-4-2 record this season. He is owned by Julie Walker, Oaklea Farms Inc and Dr Ian Grant. Collectively, they’ve watched the sophomore bank close to $65,000 to date.
To view results for Tuesday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Tuesday Results – Georgian Downs.