HANOVER, ON — Ray McLean, Jr. and Jim Ainsworth had a supreme evening at Hanover Raceway on Saturday, teaming up for a pair of wins in two-year-old pacing filly Grassroots action and lowering the track record by two-fifths of a second in the process.

The duo kicked off their winning evening in Race 3 when Teacher Supreme powered around the Hanover half-mile to a track record 1:57.2 victory. The daughter of Dexter Nukes outsprinted former Gold Elimination winner Don’t You Smile to the front and laid down fractions of :27.4, :58 and 1:27.2 on her way to the three and a half length win, which lowered the 1:57.4 record established by Wendys Rocket in 2002 by two-fifths of a second.

Don’t You Smile was the only filly able to keep pace with Teacher Supreme; there was a second race conducted 10 lengths to the rear for third, with Fantasy Winner prevailing over Galaxy Any Size.

Sarnia resident Ainsworth trains Teacher Supreme for his partners Claude Pearson of Tilbury and William Boden of Vancouver, BC. The win was the second for the talented filly, who also captured a division of the Grassroots season opener on July 10 at Flamboro Downs.

One race later McLean piloted Maryanne Supreme to a front end victory in 1:59 for Ainsworth, Boden, Rocknhorse Stables Canada of Sarnia and Martwest Racing Stable of Mississauga. The win was the first for the Camluck miss, the third foal of former Ontario Sires Stakes star and $391,998 winner Ruthellenkillean. In the season opener Maryanne Supreme struggled around the Flamboro Downs oval and finished eighth, 14 lengths behind winner Clara Moon.

On Saturday Clara Moon had to settle for the runner-up share on behalf of owner and breeder Douglas Beckett of Tara, while Flaire Seelster was well behind the leaders in third.

While McLean and Ainsworth finished their demonstration of driving and training skill early in the evening, Hanover Raceway fans who stuck around for the very last Grassroots division were treated to a second track record performance when Alias Seelster equalled Teacher Supreme’s 1:57.2 performance.

Another former Gold Elimination winner, Alias Seelster and driver Michael Sumner used the very unusual tactic of coming from well off the pace. Leaving from Post 4 the pair were sixth when pacesetter Luck Out took the fillies past the :29 opening quarter. At the :58.4 half Alias Seelster was four and a half lengths back in fourth spot, but when Luck Out and Highly Charged started to falter on the front Sumner wasted no time, sending the filly powering up three-wide at the 1:28.1 three-quarters.

By the top of the stretch Alias Seelster was four lengths ahead of her peers and at the wire they were barely within hailing distance. Highly Charged finished 10 lengths back in second and Heather’s Baroness was four more to the rear in third.

A daughter of first crop sire Intrepid Seelster, Alias Seelster was an $8,000 bargain for trainer Ray Bunn and his partner Lisa Steward of Denfield at last fall’s Forest City Yearling Sale. Through three starts the filly has claimed one Gold Elimination win, a seventh in the Gold Final and a Grassroots victory for a total of $26,341.

Hanover Raceway fans were also treated to some tight finishes Saturday night. In the sixth race Stonehouse Annie and Imarealsweetheart, owned by trainer Roger Gebhardt of Hanover, battled to a neck decision in 2:01.1, while early leader Windsun Countess faded to third.

Anne Lawrence of Spencerville bred and owns Stonehouse Annie, who was also a winner in the Grassroots season opener on July 10. Jason Gilchrist trains and drives the Village Jiffy daughter, who has four starts under her belt for earnings of $16,578.

Race 8 also saw a local favourite settle for second after a review of the finish line photo. Texas Sweetheart, owned by Sheila Murray of Kincardine and trainer Philip Coole of Puslinch, closed hard but could not quite catch Eatonmeadow Philly, who earned the 2:02.2 victory by a neck. Pictonian Fantasy rounded out the top three.

Doug Brown piloted Eatonmeadow Philly to the win for trainer Susanne Kerwood and breeders Sarah Crossman and James Clark of Rockwood. It was the Run The Table daughter’s first start of the season.

The other divisions went to Rustina in 2:00.1, Pats Fantasy in 2:01.2 and Easy Prey in 2:00.

The two-year-old pacing fillies make their third Grassroots start on Civic Holiday Monday, Aug. 1 at Quinte Raceway, while Hanover Raceway fans will be treated to the three-year-old trotting colts in Grassroots action on Saturday, July 30.

For complete results please go to:

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rhnvrsa.html.)