DRESDEN, ON — My Rebelious Ways was on his best behaviour at Dresden Raceway on Sunday, trotting to victory in the fastest of six Grassroots divisions for the two-year-old trotting colts.

With owner and trainer Nick Henry in the race bike, My Rebelious Ways sprinted away from the starting gate to a :30.4 opening quarter. The CR Renegade son had five lengths on the field at the 1:02.3 half and maintained that margin through the 1:34 three-quarters. Whitesand Diablo managed to cut the lead to four and three-quarter lengths through the stretch, but My Rebelious Ways was a comfortable winner in 2:05.1. Gutsy Rebound was eight lengths behind in third.

Mount Forest resident Henry started My Rebelious Ways in the Grassroots season opener at Hanover Raceway on July 5 and the colt looked poised to win before making an unfortunate break and finishing seventh. Dresden fans forgave the young trotter the error and, based on the promise of a 2:03.2 qualifier at Hanover on June 24, sent him off as the favourite in the seventh race.

My Rebelious Ways was the only favourite to appear in the winner’s circle following a Grassroots division on Sunday. The afternoon belonged to the longshots, with the biggest upset coming in the first $15,897 division when Foxworthy trotted to a 2:05.3 victory over P C Promising Duke and fan favourite Twin B Decalf.

Philippe Laframboise trains and drives Foxworthy for Daniel Haist of Ridgeville, and the Batavia, NY resident settled the colt in fourth along the rail through the early stages of the race. Heading for the three-quarters Laframboise sent the Striking Sahbra son up the outside behind Tommy Get Up, owned by Dresden’s Fred Jewell, and when that colt made a break turning for home the reinsman was left with an unhindered view of the stretch. Laframboise shifted Foxworthy into gear and the colt trotted to a two and one-half length victory in his first lifetime start.

Laframboise prepped Foxworthy for his Ontario Sires Stakes debut with a July 7 qualifier at Mohawk Racetrack that saw the colt trot around the seven-eighths mile oval in 2:07.2. A $30,000 US yearling at last fall’s Harrisburg Sale, Foxworthy delivered a $69.90 win payout, a $7.20 place dividend and a $4.40 return on a $2 show wager.

Keith Jones piloted Ottawa Valley to a significant upset in the eighth race, taking full advantage of an early miscue by favourite Archies Dream to grab control of the race and trot home to a one and three-quarter length victory in 2:06.4. Archies Dream recovered well to finish second and Tyrone Showdown rounded out the top three.

Jones owns and trains Ottawa Valley, who made several errors of his own in the season opener at Hanover. The Midhurst resident had to qualify the son of Incredible Abe and $320,632 winner Albanian Princess four times before the Hanover event, so Dresden fans were understandably cautious. Ottawa Valley returned $40.70 to win, $7.90 to place and $4.30 to show.

Croton resident Jean Ferguson watched her Balanced Image colt Platinum Image deliver an impressive effort to finish second in the last Grassroots division. The youngster and Wayne Henry were forced out three-wide at the three-quarter pole and trotted home strongly to finish four and a half lengths behind P C Corvette. Chuckalo Malabar was another six lengths back in third.

Peter Clements of Dobbinton bred, owns and trains P C Corvette, who hit the wire in 2:06.3. The Mr Lavec son was second in the Hanover Grassroots event and currently shares top spot in the division point race with Archies Dream.

The other Grassroots divisions went to Al The Pal in 2:07.1 and Senor Lavec in 2:05.4.

The two-year-old trotting colts will make their third start in the Grassroots program on Aug. 4 at Quinte Exhibition Raceway. Ontario Sires Stakes excitement returns to Dresden on Civic Holiday Monday, Aug. 7, with Grassroots action for the remarkably talented two-year-old pacing fillies.

For complete results please go to:

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