ELORA, ON — Illusionist stepped off the fastest of three Trillium Series divisions at Grand River Raceway on Monday evening, stopping the clock at 1:57 to score her ninth win of the season.
In rein to Stephen Byron, the Camluck daughter eased out of Post 7 and sat at the rear of the field as Manhattan Killean took the three-year-old pacing fillies through smart early fractions of :27.4 and :56.3. As Cohenikova powered up the outside to take control heading for the 1:26.3 three-quarters, Byron shifted Illusionist into gear and the filly made an impressive sweep around the outside to move within three lengths of the leaders through the last turn.
Down the stretch fan favourite Illusionist out sprinted Cohenikova to earn the 1:57 victory by half a length with Leslies Star hanging on to the third-place finisher’s share of the $24,338 provincial purse.
Carl Jamieson trains Illusionist for Scott Enman of Pickering, Larry Cometto of Oshawa and John Dragojevic of Nobleton. The partners acquired the filly in mid-July and have already earned just shy of $70,000 on their investment through six starts.
Favourite Curb Appeal delivered an impressive front-end victory in Race 8, taking full advantage of Post 1 on her way to the four and one-half length win in 1:58.3. Don McElroy drove the Village Jiffy daughter to her sixth lifetime win for trainer Howard Dinning and owner John Dinning of La Salle.
Pocketfulastarlite and Stephen Byron were second and Cammissy and Pat Hudon rounded out the top three.
The other Trillium Series division saw Tosexyforthedriver upset favourite Lucys Fame with a textbook drive from Randy Fritz. Leaving from Post 3, Fritz tucked Tosexyforthedriver onto the rail behind Lucys Fame as she logged fractions of :27.2, :57.4 and 1:28.1, then edged out in the stretch to get up for the 1:59 victory.
Fritz’s father, Hall of Famer William “Bud” Fritz was one quarter of a length back in second with Bunny My Gal, leaving Lucys Fame to settle for third spot, just holding off Soutine Hanover.
It was Carlisle resident Fritz’s second straight win aboard Run The Table daughter Tosexyforthedriver, who is trained by Bruce MacDonald for Mardon Stables of Loretto. The win was the gritty filly’s fourth this season and improved her record to four wins, five seconds and five thirds in 26 starts for earnings of $75,833.
The sophomore pacing fillies have one Trillium Series event remaining on their schedule, Nov. 7 at Flamboro Downs. The Ontario-sired fillies now head to Hiawatha Horse Park on Oct. 7 for their last Grassroots event or to Windsor Raceway on Oct. 3 for their final Gold Series event.
Grand River Raceway hosts two more Ontario Sires Stakes events this season. The two-year-old trotting fillies return to the Elora oval for Grassroots action on Monday, Sept. 27 and the talented two-year-old pacing fillies will wrap things up with a Grassroots event on Friday, Oct. 15.