SARNIA, ON — Ross Battin, the current leader in the Lampman Cup point race among top Ontario Sires Stakes drivers, piloted Potential Renegade to the fastest victory in six Grassroots divisions at Hiawatha Horse Park Thursday.
Leaving from Post 5, Battin sent Potential Renegade directly to the front where the two-year-old trotter carved out fractions of :31, 1:03 and 1:32.2 on his way to the 2:02.4 victory. The fan favourite turned back a challenge from Armbro Doyle at the three-quarter mark and then sailed home to the three length victory over Jestabrute, with Armbro Doyle hanging on for third.
Potential Renegade is trained by breeder Peter Clements of Dobbinton, who shares ownership on the CR Renegade son with his daughter Amy. In spite of his tender age, the win was Potential Renegade’s second. He and Battin also captured a July 6 overnight event at Hanover Raceway in 2:05.3.
Veteran reinsmen Tom Strauss and Paul MacDonell also encountered success at Hiawatha on Thursday. Strauss opened up the evening with a one and a quarter length victory aboard Ebony Strike in the first race, going gate-to-wire in 2:05.1. Norththerushison and Armbro Delta shadowed Strauss and the Striking Sahbra son to earn second and third-place shares of the $16,445 purse.
Trained by Ryan Maxwell for breeders Doug Millard of Woodstock and Jerry Vanboekel of Bright, Ebony Strike is the second foal of former Ontario Sires Stakes superstar Elegantimage, who earned $955,368 in her career.
Strauss was back in front of the grandstand five races later with fan favourite Duke Of Connaught, who reeled in pacesetter Pacific Rambler in the final strides to claim the three-quarter length victory in 2:03.2. Angus J Mcrae was three and one quarter lengths back in third.
Another son of first year sire Striking Sahbra, Duke Of Connaught is owned by Ecuries Guy Gagnon Inc. and numbered company 172237 Canada Inc. of Gatineau, QC, who offered up $20,000 for the colt at last fall’s Forest City Yearling Sale. Richard Moreau trains Duke Of Connaught, who has one win and one second in his first two starts.
Paul MacDonell earned the first half his driving double in the fifth race when Gripit N Ripit put together an impressive effort to claim a 2:04.2 win. The Balanced Image son made a break at the start of the mile that left him more than 11 lengths off the pace, settled into a rhythm and clawed his way back to the front to finish one and a quarter lengths ahead of Su Lavec and Jimmy Hill.
Mike Keeling trains Gripit N Ripit, a $65,000 yearling acquisition owned by P C Wellwood Enterprises Inc. of Cambridge, Fred Mansoor of Toronto and breeder Diane Ingham of Mount Pleasant, who is a full brother to the brilliantly erratic Captain Brady ($149,005).
MacDonell also had to overcome a break in stride to land Was It A Dream in the winner’s circle after the last Grassroots division. The Striking Sahbra son, trained by Paula Wellwood and owned by Guelph resident MacDonell and Wellwood Stables Inc. of Cambridge, posted a 2:04.2 victory over CR Sky Flyer and Laurent.
The other Grassroots division went to trainer-driver Mark Steacy and Mozart, who controlled the pace throughout the third race and hit the wire three lengths ahead of Midnight Rueben and Hall Of All in 2:04.3. Lansdowne resident Steacy conditions Yankee Paco son Mozart for his partners David Reid of Glenburnie, David McDonald of Cornwall and Malcolm Man Son Hing of Nepean.
Another regally bred colt, Mozart is the son of $283,982 winner Brisco Maud and counts among his siblings $262,730 winner, and prolific broodmare, Lady Orbitex and $114,467 winner Maudification. Steacy and his partners acquired the colt for $15,500 at last year’s Canadian Classic Yearling Sale.
The talented two-year-old trotting colts head to Woodstock Racetrack on July 23 for their second Grassroots events, while Hiawatha Horse Park fans welcome the three-year-old pacing fillies for their fourth Grassroots competition on Thursday, Aug. 11.
(For complete results please go to:
http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rsarfth.html