INNISFIL, ON — Ontario’s gifted three-year-old pacing colts wrap up their Grassroots season at Georgian Downs on Tuesday with six talent laden divisions.
Each division will be hotly contested as the colts seize their last opportunity to collect points toward a position in the top 16 and a berth in the Grassroots Semifinal on Oct. 23 at the Innisfil oval. With just a fourth and a fifth-place finish under his belt through two Grassroots starts, Oh My Goth cannot advance to the post season out of Race 10, but trainer Rob Walker, Jr. and partner Anthony Cachia of Newmarket are hoping the colt can land a third top five finish in the provincial program.
“He got a cheque in his last Grassroots start so we were ecstatic with that. We lucked out and got the slowest division,” says Walker. “He’s pretty much a trip horse. He can cut a pretty good back half, but he needs the front half to go his way.”
Oh My Goth will start from Post 6 in the tenth race on Tuesday and Walker says there is only one way to race the son of Gothic Dream, regardless of post position.
“I’ve always wanted to try him on the front, but I can’t get there,” he says wryly. “So I probably won’t be leaving. I’ll just take him back and hope for a trip.”
Through 20 starts the colt has posted a record of two wins, two seconds and two thirds for earnings of $13,584 and has provided 11 months of entertainment for new owner Cachia.
“He’s just a big pet,” says Walker, who also drives the colt. “He’d be a super horse if he just had some more speed.”
Among the colts expected to set the pace in the tenth race on Tuesday are the two that will flank Oh My Goth on the starting gate.
Island Zeeker has a record of two wins, one second and one fifth in five Grassroots starts and currently sits seventh in the division standings. The Albert Albert son heads into Tuesday’s contest off a pair of victories, including a personal best 1:54.4 Grassroots win at Kawartha Downs on Sept. 21. Donald Douglas of Ingersoll bred and owns the winner of $78,624 and trainer Scott McNiven handles his day-to-day care. Ontario Sires Stakes leading driver Jody Jamieson will steer Island Zeeker toward a third straight victory from Post 5.
On Oh My Goth’s other side, HBFs Power Play needs to collect additional points to ensure that he remains in the top 16. The Native Born son currently sits fifteenth with 87 points earned through three seconds and one third in four Grassroots outings. Trained by Shawn Robinson for owner-breeders HBF Corporation of Detroit, MI, HBFs Power Play finished second by a nose in his Sept. 21 Grassroots division and heads into Tuesday’s race off a sixth-place finish in a 1:54.2 mile at Woodbine Racetrack on Sept. 28. Dan Clements picks up the drive aboard HBFs Power Play and will pilot the colt from Post 7.
Racing gets under way at 7:30 pm at Georgian Downs on Tuesday and the Innisfil oval gives fans a sneak preview of the top 16 in Races 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, and 10.