LONDON, ON — Four fillies with local connections earned Grassroots hardware at Western Fair Raceway on Saturday evening, including former Gold Series regular Ingrid Bergrin.
In rein to Jody Jamieson, Ingrid Bergin took quick command of the third division and cruised to a four length victory over Dotted Diamonds and Northern Diligence. The three-year-old pacing filly halted the teletimer at 1:57.1 over a sloppy, rain soaked surface rated two seconds slower than normal.
Dr. Robert Boyce of London shares ownership on Ingrid Bergrin with trainer Carl Jamieson of Princeton, Jerry Jamieson of Blenheim and Thomas Kyron of Etobicoke. The win was the Grinfromeartoear daughter’s second of the season and boosted her already substantial bank roll to $125,268.
Jody Jamieson also piloted local favourite Witness To Fame to a victory in Race 2. The young reinsman, who will represent Canada at the 2005 World Driving Championship, opted for a come from behind strategy with the Apaches Fame miss and squeaked by Beach Bonnet through the stretch to record the 1:58.2 victory. Stage Zing paced into third in the $15,000 battle.
Trainer Bud Sinclair of Stratford and Dr. Norman Amos of St. Marys share ownership on Witness To Fame, who is no stranger to the winner’s circle, having posted a 1:53 victory at Woodbine Racetrack on May 12.
Jamieson made it a hat trick with a 1:58.4 front end victory aboard E Business in Race 9. The Run The Table daughter bested last season’s Grassroots champion Borderlinegorgious, owned by Wall Tyme Stables Inc. of Komoka, and Just Rich Enough, who finished in a dead heat for second.
Cambridge resident James Koelln trains E Business for his partner Larry MacNeil of LaSalle.
Flanking Jamieson’s third victory were wins by two more local fillies. Sparkys Grin overcame Post 7 and early interference to claim her first Ontario Sires Stakes victory, flying home to a 2:00.1 victory over Magnificent Millie and Fame Supreme in Race 8. Michael Horner drove the Grinfromeartoear daughter for trainer Mark Horner of St. Marys and Dennis Fairall of Windsor.
In Race 10, Thweet Thavage and Trevor Henry found the front end early and sailed unchallenged around the half-mile oval in 1:59.4. Late Curfew and Stonebridge Celest rounded out the top three.
Herman Bardoel of Putnam owns Thweet Thavage and Peter Hamilton has trained the Grinfromeartoear daughter to six wins this season.
Michael Horner and Trevor Henry each made one other appearance in front of the Western Fair photographer, Horner in Race 5 with Thankgodiamafilly and Henry in Race 11 with Easy Operator.
Mark Horner trains Rustler Hanover daughter Thankgodiamafilly for owner-breeders Wilma and James MacKenzie of Peterborough and Joe Stutzman trains Armbro Operative miss Easy Operator for breeder William Varney of Bangor, ME.
Armbro Cachet scored the fastest mile of the night, laying down a 1:56.4 challenge in the first race that stood up through all 11 Grassroots divisions.
In rein to Stuart Sowerby, the Camluck miss had as many as six lengths on the field during the mile, but runner-up Youthful Seelster cut it down to two at the wire. Mary From Woodhaven was six more lengths back in third.
Gregg McNair trains Armbro Cachet for Michael Tauro of Newfane, NY, James Martin and William Switala of Clarence Center, NY and Joseph Critelli of Lockport, NY.
The other Grassroots divisions went to Armbro Cashmere in 1:58.3, Fabulous Flori in 1:57.3 and Skyler Seelster in 1:58.3.
The three-year-old pacing fillies compete in the second of six Grassroots events on their 2005 schedule June 17 at Grand River Raceway. Ontario Sires Stakes action returns to Western Fair Raceway at the conclusion of their summer sabbatical with a Trillium event for the two-year-old pacing fillies on Friday, Nov. 18.