BELLEVILLE, ON — Belleville and area harness racing fans will get one last dose of Ontario Sires Stakes excitement this Friday as Quinte Exhibition Raceway hosts Grassroots competition for the two-year-old trotting colts.

Five divisions of young trotters will compete for a total of $97,000 in Friday’s event and Charles Barker is hoping that Stockdale Road can claim a share of the provincial pie from Post 1 in the eighth race.

“We’re keeping our fingers crossed for Friday. I hope he does well,” says the Trenton resident, who shares ownership on Stockdale Road with trainer John Thomson of Ennismore. “I hope we get a little bit of money.”

Stockdale Road had earned a little bit of money in all but one of his first four Grassroots appearances, with one fourth and two fifth-place finishes to his credit. After four starts the $5,200 yearling is half way to paying back his owners for their spur of the moment purchase at last fall’s Canadian Classic Yearling Sale.

“It was a 30 second decision,” recalls Barker. “John Thomson and I were sitting in the front row of the sales pavilion and that horse came in and got a bid of around $5,000. There was a lull in the crowd, nobody was bidding, and John said, �Would you be interested in half of that horse?’ I said, �Yes,’ and I bid $5,200 and I got him. We couldn’t understand it because he’s by Mr Lavec, one of the top trotting sires in Ontario.”

Once he had been hammered down to the partners Stockdale Road made the trip to Thomson’s training facility and proved to be an able student, progressing steadily toward his July 14 freshman debut.

“He’s a nice mannered colt. We are not optimistic that he’s going to be one of the best trotters in Ontario, but you never know,” says the 35 year veteran of Standardbred ownership. “He’s only two and he’s sound.

“And he’s not fully developed,” adds Barker. “As a three-year-old he’s going to be a good sized trotter.”

While Barker and Thomson were not thrilled to see the colt land Post 1 for Friday’s contest, they hope he will be able to use his early speed to stay out of trouble and navigate Quinte’s tricky first turn.

“We’re not overly thrilled, but all we can do is hope he can get around that first turn,” notes Barker. “He can leave a little bit so maybe he can get out there a little bit, get away from the crowd and get around the corner.”

Friday will be the first time Barker will see the colt race in the flesh. With the first four Grassroots events taking place in Sarnia, Woodstock, Dresden and Elora, the 78 year old opted for hearing the results from Thomson via phone rather than making the long trek down Highway 401.

“This will be the first race that I’ve actually seen him,” says Barker. “The others were a long ways away and the traffic is terrible, but now he’s pretty close to home for this start.”

While he admires Stockdale Road’s trotting style, Barker will also be keeping his eyes peeled for the undefeated Potential Renegade from Post 4 and three-time Grassroots winner Laurent, who will start from Post 7 in the fourth Grassroots division.

Quinte Exhibition Raceway’s first race rolls up behind the starting gate at 7:25 pm on Friday, with the two-year-old trotting colts preparing for battle in Races 2, 4, 6, 8, and 9.

For a complete list of entries please go to:

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/entries/data/eblvlfr.html