Impressive in overnight action at Georgian Downs last Tuesday, Giddy Up Lucky delivered an equally stirring performance this week to claim his second Grassroots trophy and make a leap up the three-year-old pacing colt division standings.
Stepping off the starting gate from Post 4 in Tuesday's second race, Giddy Up Lucky took command before the :27.3 opening quarter and never had to glance back, cruising around the Georgian Downs oval in a smart 1:52.1.
Marquis Player was seven lengths back in second and Box Car Billie, owned by Mardon Stables of Loretto and Daniel MacIsaac of Charlottetown, PEI, was three more lengths to the rear in third.
Giddy Up Lucky's mile was the quickest of the seven $20,000 Grassroots divisions at Georgian Downs on Tuesday evening, but rang in one second slower than the 1:51.1 mile he clocked in overnight action over the Innisfil oval on September 2.
Paul Mackenzie piloted Giddy Up Lucky to his second Grassroots victory, and sixth lifetime, for trainer Jean Louis Arsenault and owners David Shea of Campbellville and Reginald Petitpas of Shediac Bridge, NB.
Through 13 starts this season the son of Camluck has recorded four wins, three seconds and three thirds for earnings of $69,842. Tuesday's victory propelled the gelding up the Grassroots point standings into a three-way tie for eighth.
Yorktown Heights took over top spot in the point standings with a front end score from Post 3 in the sixth race. The Astreos son and driver Anthony Haughan led the field through fractions of :26.4, :55.4 and 1:24.3 before cruising under the wire in a personal best 1:54.4. Castlecary Wildcat finished two and three-quarter lengths back in second, with Kesons Sergei rounding out the top three.
Ely Iversen of Moffat owns Yorktown Heights, and Ira Fisher handles training duties on the gelding, who now has nine wins, two seconds and three thirds to his credit through 21 starts. With three wins, one second and one fifth in five Grassroots outings, Yorktown Heights has accumulated 180 points and leads division rival Excel Nine by 17 points.
Tannamatt Creek made the most impressive leap up the division standings with his 1:54 triumph in the fourth Grassroots division. Before Tuesday's event the No Pan Intended son had made four starts in the Grassroots program and logged one second, one fourth and one fifth-place finish for a total of 38 points, well short of the cut off for the post season.
Starting from the advantageous Post 1 on Tuesday, driver Scott Zeron decided to fire the gelding off the gate, and the aggressive strategy paid off. Tannamatt Creek led the field through fractions of :26.4, :57.2 and 1:25.4 before sprinting away to the three and three-quarter length victory over Kerrs Light and Ram Of The Night.
Barry and Debbie Bird of Harwood bred the half-brother to $3.7 million winner Boulder Creek, and Barry handles training duties on the youngster, who now boasts a sophomore record of two wins, two seconds and one third in 14 starts for earnings of $27,039.
The other Grassroots divisions went to Auctioneer (1:52.2), Lyons Geoff (1:53.3), target="_blank">Smile Fromeartoear (1:55.1) and Keystone Debonair in 1:52.3.
The three-year-old pacing colts make their final regular season Grassroots stop at Hiawatha Horse Park on October 9 before the top 16 point earners begin preparations for the post season.
Georgian Downs fans will get their second look at Ontario's talented two-year-old trotting fillies on September 20, when the young distaffers arrive in Innisfil for their first Trillium Series event.
(OSS)
To view Tuesday's results, click here.