INNISFIL, ON — Crown Royalty came within a breath of equalling the three-year-old trotting filly track record at Georgian Downs on Saturday evening.
Leaving from Post 5 in the second of five Grassroots divisions, the Wesgate Crown daughter and driver Stephen Byron took command of the race heading for the three-quarters and extended their lead with every stride. By the top of the stretch the duo were five lengths up on the field, and as they sailed under the wire in 1:58.2, runner-up Joyful Day was 12 lengths back with Chips Chip another length back in third.
Blair Burgess trains Crown Royalty for his father Robert Burgess of Campbellville and his wife Karin Olsson Burgess of Milton. Through four Grassroots starts the talented trotter has posted two wins, one fourth and one fifth for a total of 113 points and is virtually assured of a berth in the Oct. 26 Grassroots Semifinal at Flamboro Downs.
The sophomore trotting fillies put on an impressive speed display Saturday, with local favourite Oh Emma kicking things off in the first race with a 1:59.2 score. The Incredible Abe daughter and Robert McClure delivered an impressive come-from-behind effort that saw them sprint up the outside from sixth to first through the third quarter and hit the wire nine lengths ahead of Sephora and Petals Of A Flower, owned by Mardon Stable of Loretto and Sit N Go Stables of Barrie.
Barrie resident Linda Denis owns Oh Emma, who jumped into the top 16 with the victory, her fourth of the season and second in Grassroots action.
In the third division Northern Pixie scored a gate-to-wire victory in 2:02.2 and Shesmokesem wrote another page of her Cinderella story finishing just three-quarters of a length back in third for Cookstown resident Paul Sloan and his partners Memory Lane Stables of Scarborough, Ronald French of North York and Donald Burnett of Thornhill. Touched By Gold rounded out the top three in the $20,142 contest.
Trainer Paul Walker of Owen Sound and Carscot Stables of Toronto share ownership on Northern Pixie, who was driven to the victory by the conditioner’s brother Larry Walker. The win was the Mr Lavec daughter’s first in the Grassroots Series, but combined with three seconds and one fourth, was enough to move her into third-place in the division standings with 133 points.
Last year’s Grassroots champion Designable jumped back to the top of the standings with a 2:00 score in the fourth division. The Earl daughter and trainer-driver Wayne Langille stalked pacesetter and fan favourite Snazzy Millie through fractions of :28, :59.2 and 1:29.1 before sprinting down the stretch to claim the one length victory. Snazzy Millie earned second-place honours and Gadget Girl recovered from an early break to pick up the third-place cheque.
Harley resident Langille trains Designable for his partners James Barton of Branchton, Jeff Adamson of Brantford and Terence Adamson of Harley. The group has banked $160,055 on behalf of their talented filly through the last two seasons and would love to see her produce another championship effort in the season ending Grassroots Final.
The final division went to first-time Grassroots starter Zorgwijk Delighted, who out trotted Shebeasabrefan and pacesetter Amblar Playgirl to the wire to score the 2:00.3 victory. The Wesgate Crown lass, who started her Ontario Sires Stakes season in the Gold Series, is owned by breeder Zorgwijk Stables Ltd. of Brantford and trainer Gary Stead of Campbellville.
The three-year-old trotting fillies have one last opportunity to earn Grassroots points when they head to Windsor Raceway on Oct. 15. Once those points have been tallied the top 16 point earners will head to Flamboro Downs for a pair of semifinals on Oct. 26, with the top eight finishers returning one week later to compete in the Grassroots Championship.
Ontario Sires Stakes excitement returns to Georgian Downs next Saturday, Oct. 4 with the second Trillium Series event for the gifted two-year-old trotting fillies.