INNISFIL, ON — Georgian Downs fans were treated to an outstanding evening of racing by Ontario’s talented two-year-old pacing fillies on Saturday, complete with tight finishes and impressive miles.
The first two Grassroots divisions saw very tight finishes and in Race 4 local filly Lola J earned her first victory by sticking a head in front of fan favourite Village Blush at the wire. The Dexter Nukes daughter and driver Mark MacDonald shadowed Village Blush through fractions of :27.4, :57.1 and 1:27 before making a late move in the stretch to record the 1:57.1 victory. Curb Appeal rounded out the top finishers, two and a half lengths back in third.
Owned by trainer Pat Crowe of Cookstown and Paul Jackson of Bobcaygeon, Lola J earned $9,000 for the win to boost her freshman bank balance to $10,050.
Scoring the quickest mile of the nine divisions were Gold Series regular Special Magic and last year’s top Ontario Sires Stakes reinsman Don McElroy. Leaving from Post 7 the duo spent the entire mile hanging out on the outside and made a bold three-wide move at the three-quarter pole to take command of the race. Once she reached the front end Special Magic extended her lead with each step, reaching the wire five and three-quarter lengths ahead of Bunny My Gal and 12 lengths up on pacesetter Leslies Star in a sharp 1:56.2.
Bob McIntosh, the leading OSS trainer in both 2001 and 2002, conditions Special Magic for owner-breeders Brittany Farms of Versailles, KY. The daughter of Hall of Fame sire Camluck and $533,784 winner Art In The Park improved her record to three wins, one second and one third in nine starts with the victory.
McElroy also captured the third race with Themaneattacktion for owner-trainer Barbara MacDonald of Orleans. The veteran reinsman sent Themaneattacktion directly to the front from Post 6 and circled Georgian Downs’ five-eighths mile oval without a challenge, hitting wire two and a half lengths the best in 1:58.2. Favourite Illusionist settled for second and Sammys Luck picked up the third-place finisher’s share of the $18,000 purse.
Not to be outdone by his older colleague, Mark MacDonald also made a second appearance in the winner’s circle, borrowing a page from McElroy’s book to pilot Wipethatsmerkoff to a front-end victory in 1:58.3. Although division leader Cammissy closed hard through the stretch Wipethatsmerkoff dug in to earn the head victory, her first in a season that has seen her toiling primarily in the Gold Series ranks. Sunday Supreme completed the triactor.
Brenda Spence trains Wipethatsmerkoff for C M T Farms of Arnprior and Bad Plus Stable of Greely. Although Saturday marked her first visit to the winner’s circle, the Grinfromeartoear daughter has quietly put together a solid season, finishing out of the top three on just one occasion and earning $44,002.
The other Grassroots divisions went to Irish Luck in 1:58.1, Casual Tide in 1:58.1, Cinnamon Snowball in 1:57.3, Bastet Hanover in 1:57.4 and Armbro Bracken in 1:57.1.
The two-year-old pacing fillies make their last regular season Grassroots start at Hiawatha Horse Park on Oct. 16 before heading into Semifinal and Final action at Western Fair Raceway on Oct. 24 and 31.
Ontario Sires Stakes excitement returns to Georgian Downs next Saturday, Sept. 27 with the fourth Grassroots event for the three-year-old trotting fillies.