DUNDAS, ON — Flamboro Downs fans were treated to eight outstanding Grassroots Semifinals Sunday evening, highlighted by a speed show from the three-year-old pacing fillies.
Feathery Fame rolled to her fourth straight Grassroots victory in the first pacing filly division, recording the fastest mile of the eight Semifinals with a wire-to-wire effort in 1:56.2, over a track rated one second slower than normal.
“She’s been a nice filly from the get-go,” said trainer Gregg McNair following the victory over Mystical Dawn and Shami Cami. “I’d say she’s at the top of her game right now.”
Guelph resident McNair trains the filly for his mother Gwendolyn McNair of Walkerton, who also bred the daughter of Apaches Fame, and driver Mike Saftic engineered the impressive victory.
O See My Bo captured the second pacing filly Semifinal with a picture perfect steer from last season’s top Ontario Sires Stakes reinsman Don McElroy. The Bo Knows Jate lass tucked in behind pacesetter Lucky Irma through fractions of :27.3, :58 and 1:27.4 and then powered by in the stretch to score the one length victory in 1:57.2. Regular season point leader Espirit Seelster earned the third-place finisher’s share of the $30,000 purse.
Joe Stutzman of Campbellville trains O See My Bo and leases her from owner Douglas Lovely of London.
Fourth-place finishers, Twin B Goddess and McNair’s second string entry Apaches Angel, will also return to Flamboro Downs next week for the $100,000 Grassroots Championship.
In a heated battle for a third straight OSS driving title with Ross Battin, McElroy added to his Lampman Cup point total with a second Semifinal victory behind sophomore trotting colt Ethen Seelster. In spite of being handicapped by Post 7 the duo fired to the front and never faced a challenge en route to the 2:01 triumph over At A Boy Eric and Semi Spot. Earl Vic Dol nailed down the final spot in the Nov. 2 Final, while favourite and division leader Mr Garjangles was never a factor after making an early break in stride.
“The outside post position did not hurt him,” said McElroy, who steers the Mr Lavec son for trainer Bob McIntosh of La Salle and his partners Dave Boyle of Bowmanville and CSX Stables of Liberty Center, OH. “He’s definitely a force in this division.”
The other trotting colt battle went to McElroy’s rival Ross Battin and Jayport Express, who romped to a four length victory in 2:01.1 for trainer Brent Belore and owner-breeder Thomas Porchak of Woodstock. Certified Election, Armbro Acme and Jojos Image rounded out the top four finishers.
Keeping the race for the top spot in the driver colony heated, Battin also captured a trotting filly division with Armbro Amaze, who cruised to a two and one-quarter length victory over Designable and St Lads Abby. The King Conch daughter stopped the clock at 2:00 to record her seventh victory of the season and her fourth in Grassroots action.
Trainer Frank O’Reilly of Orton, John Fielding of Toronto and John Jesson of Tillsonburg share ownership on Armbro Amaze.
Milton resident Mario Baillargeon engineered the ideal trip for Northern Pixie in the first Grassroots Semifinal of the evening, tucking the filly in behind division leader Sephora and then stepping out in the stretch to score the 2:03.1 victory by three-quarters of a length.
“She’s very honest and very handy and gets around a half-mile perfect,” said Baillargeon, who drove the Mr Lavec daughter for the first time on behalf of trainer Paul Walker of Owen Sound and his partners Carscot Stables of Toronto. “I’m really confident in her chances next week.”
Sephora stayed game for second ahead of Express Gal, while Armbro Acunar was promoted from sixth to fourth due to errors by favourite Oh Emma and Crown Royalty.
The pacing colts wrapped up the outstanding evening of Grassroots action with impressive performances from a pair of colts owned and bred by Robert Hamather of Exeter. Au Rumba, a son of Pacific Rocket and Hamather’s great mare No No Abby, earned top honours in the first Semifinal, stopping the clock at 1:57.2 off a front-end effort.
“He actually lost a shoe behind the gate and had a hard time grabbing the track,” noted driver Luc Ouellette after the race. “But he dug in at the wire when he needed to.”
The Bill Robinson trainee held off a hard charging Twin B Mirage and Kurt Rustler to score the neck victory. Jacks Dream, who drew in off the also eligible list when Killean Sweep was scratched, paced his way into next week’s Final with a solid fourth-place effort.
One race later Hamather earned his second Grassroots Final trophy when Tigerama, who is out of No No Abby’s daughter Fearless Flight, powered to a four and a quarter length victory in 1:56.4. Emersons Aah Jewel, Allamerican Salute and Sensational rocket completed the field for the Final.
The point leader through the regular season, Tigerama crafted a very impressive resume this season, capturing six Grassroots starts and 12 race in total. The Village Jiffy son is trained by Richard Griffiths and Jim McClure handles the lines on the winner of $119,978.
The gifted three-year-olds return to Flamboro Downs next Sunday, Nov. 2 to compete in four $100,000 Grassroots Championships.