Trainer David Menary sent out a trio of Grassroots winners at Dresden Raceway on Monday afternoon, as the half-mile oval showcased the province’s best two-year-old pacing colts during the 12-race card
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Menary shipped four freshman colts to Dresden, and the first to carry the stable colours in front of the grandstand was Speed Addiction in Race 2. The Jeremes Jet son sprinted away from Post 2 and tucked in behind early leader Jojo In The Sky, then stepped to the front heading to the three-quarters, but could not hold off the late rush from fan favourites Jack Moiseyev and Fenian Hanover, who pulled away to a four and one-quarter length victory in 1:59.1.
Speed Addiction and driver Randy Waples had to settle for second, with YS Charlie rounding out the top three.
Monday’s victory was Fenian Hanover’s first in seven lifetime starts. The Mach Three son started his provincial career with a runner-up finish in Grassroots action at Georgian Downs on July 12, then took a run at the Gold Series at Flamboro Downs, finishing second in the Aug. 7 Gold Elimination and sixth in the Gold Final one week later. The colt’s seventh start was against North America’s best in the Nassagaweya Stake at Mohawk Racetrack on Aug. 20 where he finished ninth.
Trainer John Kopas, who conditions Fenian Hanover for Glengate Farms of Campbellville, Ariel Stables of North York and LLK Stable of Mississauga, opted to return the young pacer to the Grassroots program in time for the last two regular season events, and Monday’s victory gives the colt a legitimate shot at one of 20 berths in the Sept. 23 Semifinals at Mohawk Racetrack.
After cooling out Speed Addiction, trainer Menary turned his attention to Retail, who paraded in front of the Dresden fans from Post 5 in the fourth $24,000 division. Waples opted to steer fan favourite In Commando, so Sylvain Filion got the call aboard Retail and engineered a perfect trip for the Royal Mattjesty gelding.
Dropping into the pocket behind True To Mach, Filion and Retail watched the division leader ring up a :28 quarter and a :58.3 half. As True To Mach seemed to run out of steam heading for the 1:28.1 three-quarters, Filion tipped Retail out of the pocket and circled around the to the lead, reaching the top of the stretch six lengths ahead of the competition. The gelding cruised home a 1:58.2 winner, three and three-quarter lengths ahead of Waples and In Commando and four more lengths up on Phil Hudon and True To Mach.
Menary conditions Retail for Robert Seguin of Gatineau, QC. Through nine starts Retail boasts a record of two wins and four seconds for earnings of $28,958 and currently sits right behind Fenian Hanover in the division standings with 74 points.
In the seventh race Waples once again opted for a Bob McIntosh trainee, so Menary handed Simon Allard the keys to Creighton Hanover, and the reinsman fired the Camluck son out of the two-hole and around the Dresden oval to a 1:59.2 triumph. Fan favourite Jettison, co-owned by Don Roberts of Dresden, had to settle for second, just one-quarter length short of his goal, and So Take That was two lengths back in third.
Brad Gray of Dundas owns Creighton Hanover, who now has one win and two seconds to his credit through five starts. The gelding jumped up the division standings with his first lifetime win, and boasts 108 points heading into the regular season finale at Flamboro Downs on Sept. 16.
Menary and Waples teamed up for a second victory with Huxley in the ninth race, and the veteran reinsman opted for a front-end tour of Dresden, cruising along to an impressive nine and three-quarter length victory over favourite Tye Seelster and lightly regarded P C Shockwave. The gelding’s 1:57.2 clocking was the fastest of the eight freshman pacing colt divisions, and it represented a new track record for two-year-old pacing geldings. The former mark of 1:58.1 belonged to Medoland Glenno.
Burke Racing Stable LLC of Fredericktown, PA and Weaver Bruscemi LLC of Canonsburg, PA share ownership on Huxley, who has a consistent record of five wins and two seconds in seven starts for earnings of $50,925. His 125 points should be enough to ensure Huxley a berth in the Grassroots post season.
In addition to his winning partnership with Menary, Sylvain Filion also piloted Mark Steacy trainee R Gauwitz Hanover to victory in the fifth race, propelling the colt to the top of the division standings with a flawless record of four wins in four Grassroots starts. R Gauwitz Hanover paced home a one and three-quarter length winner over Who Doesnt, halting the teletimer at 1:58.1. Carsons Cracker was seven and one-quarter lengths back in third.
Steacy conditions the talented R Gauwitz Hanover for his wife Katherine Steacy of Lansdowne, Landmark IV Racing Stable of Elginburg, David Reid of Glenburnie and Bridle Path Stables Ltd. of Ossining, NY. In nine starts the Modern Art son has tallied seven wins, one second and one third for earnings of $73,532.
In the other three Grassroots skirmishes, Franceschetti halted the clock at 1:58.2 to win the first division, Red Carpet Dude was a 2:00.2 winner in the third, and Iwilldowhatido claimed the final division with a 1:59.4 effort.
The two-year-old pacing colts wrapped up Dresden Raceway’s 2011 Ontario Sires Stakes season on Monday, and will complete their own regular season at Flamboro Downs on Sept. 16.
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To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Dresden Raceway.