SUDBURY, ON — Ontario Sires Stakes action rolls into Sudbury on Saturday evening with the Grassroots debut of the two-year-old trotting colts.

The freshmen will compete for a total of $91,314 in two Grassroots divisions, eager to test their burgeoning skills over the Sudbury Downs half-mile. Among the talented youngsters hoping to make an impact on the provincial scene this summer is Peter Core trainee Chipper Rooney, who starts from Post 1 in the second race.

“The rail usually helps, but with a young horse making his first start you’re just trying to get off the gate and get around the first turn,” says Core, who also drives the gelding. “The turns where he trained all winter were real tight, a lot tighter than they are at Sudbury, so I don’t see him having any problems.”

Chipper Rooney prepared for Saturday’s $45,657 contest with a solid runner-up finish in a June 19 qualifier at Hiawatha Horse Park, trotting his own mile in 2:06.

“He qualified real well,” says Core. “We hadn’t been any more than 2:10 with him before that so we were pleased with the way he qualified.”

Core shares ownership on Chipper Rooney with his father Ray Core of Wyoming and Don Allensen of Camlachie. The gelding is by the Core’s stallion Armbro Rooney, who is still racing, and out of their Dream Of Glory mare Amys Glory.

“He’s a true homebred, we stand his father,” says the Wyoming resident. “He’s kind of a good looking horse and he has a nice way of trotting. He trots a lot like his father.

“He didn’t do a lot wrong training down, but we never expected big things from him. We ended up gelding him after Christmas because he was a little too full of himself and he’s come along real good.”

Among the colts Chipper Rooney and Core will face in the first Grassroots division are a pair from the Ross Henry stable, Sizeisnteverything from Post 2 and Claytons Valleylad who will start from Post 5 in the six horse field.

Henry also starts two in the second division, sending One Tough Night and J M Wally after Grassroots glory from Posts 5 and 6.

Sudbury Downs sends its first race onto the track at 7:15 pm on Saturday night and turns the spotlight on the two-year-old trotting colts in Races 2 and 5.