CLINTON, ON — Ontario’s talented three-year-old pacing fillies brought their “A” game to Clinton Raceway on Sunday, matching the track record in two of eight Grassroots divisions.

Plumbing Princess and Jody Jamieson set the tone for the afternoon in the first race, scoring an impressive come from behind victory that matched the 1:56 track record set by Feathery Fame in 2003. The pair started from Post 4 and sat fifth through the early stages of the race, content to watch Finding The Dream reel off a :28.1 opening quarter and a :57.2 half.

Heading for the 1:26.4 three-quarters Jamieson sent Plumbing Princess up the outside, closing to within one length of the pacesetter by the top of the stretch.

An impressive :28.4 last quarter propelled Plumbing Princess to the one and one quarter length victory, with Stunning Beauty closing hard to finish second and nudge Finding The Dream into third. The win was the Astreos daughter’s third straight and her second in Grassroots action.

Duane Marfisi trains Plumbing Princess, who started the season off at the Gold Series level, for Irving Storfer of Toronto and Alvin Stein of Ottawa.

Five races later Lyle MacArthur and Southwind Madonna adopted a radically different approach, but achieved the same result; matching the track record with a 1:56 victory. MacArthur sent the Camluck filly straight to the front from Post 2 and accelerated away from the field with every step, rolling through fractions of :27.3, :56.2 and 1:26.3 on their way to an eight and one-quarter length victory over Alias Seelster and She Goes All Davay.

Brampton resident Carl MacArthur trains Southwind Madonna for his partners Talacadac Stable of Kleinburg. A two-time Grassroots winner since dropping down from the Gold Series, Southwind Madonna is showing no ill effects from an accident that caused her to pull up in her June 27 Grassroots appearance at Georgian Downs.

The rest of the afternoon belonged to driver Paul Mackenzie, who captured four of the eight Grassroots divisions and one claimer. The Puslinch resident’s remarkable afternoon started in the fourth race when he piloted Smileifyoucam to a 1:58.4 triumph for trainer Donald McIsaac.

Smileifyoucam led from start to finish, pacing under the wire one and three-quarter lengths ahead of Pacific Yankee and Putnamsensational. Donald McIsaac trains the Grinfromeartoear lass for Louis McIsaac of Cornwall, PEI. The win was the filly’s second of the season and her first in Grassroots action.

After returning to the winner’s circle with claimer Olivia in Race 7, Mackenzie was back in Grassroots action in Race 8 aboard Rob Fellows’ two-time Grassroots winner Prairie Tracker. Once again Mackenzie opted to control the pace and Prairie Tracker zipped home to a 1:56.3 triumph over Vals Joanie and Galaxy Any Size.

Edward James of Aurora owns Presidential Ball daughter Prairie Tracker, who is now undefeated through four starts since arriving in Ontario from Alberta.

One race later James a second Grassroots trophy with a filly Mackenzie trains for him. Calling On Angels outgunned the field from Post 4, carving all the fractions and pacing home to a seven and a half length win in 1:57.1. The win marked the Northern Luck daughter’s first trip to the winner’s circle since the Grassroots season opener at Quinte Exhibition Raceway.

Astroglider and Dreamfair Zoya rounded out the top three in Race 9.

Mackenzie wrapped up his afternoon with a 1:58.2 victory behind Opera Mystic. Leaving from Post 4 the pair stalked pacesetter Pride Of Dilinger until that filly made a break at the three-quarters. Whistlin Dixie, owned by Russell Mackie of Lucknow, inherited the lead but yielded to the fast closing Opera Mystic in the stretch. Chance Is A Lady overcame interference to grab the third-place share of the $15,000 purse.

Shawn Robinson trains Opera Mystic for Dr. Gerard Tremblay of Bromont, QC. A three-time winner this season, the Island Fantasy daughter finished third and fourth in two previous Grassroots outings.

The other Grassroots divisions went to Joannies Star in 1:58.2 and CMR Maybe Loaded in 1:59.1.

The talented three-year-old pacing fillies make their fourth Grassroots start on Aug. 6 at Sudbury Downs. Ontario Sires Stakes excitement returns to Clinton Raceway on Sunday. Aug. 27, when the two-year-old pacing fillies will battle in their second last Grassroots contest.

For complete results please go to:

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rclntnsu.html