SUDBURY, ON — After two decades of racing horses at Sudbury Downs, Edward and Nancy Bassis will realise a long held ambition this Sunday when their three-year-old pacing filly Classy Mint competes in the second of four $26,179 Grassroots divisions at their hometown oval.

“We’ve been racing, mostly here at Sudbury Downs, for about 20 years,” says Nancy Bassis. “This is the first one we’ve had in the Sires Stakes, and it’s pure luck for us.”

When the Chelmsford residents and their partner Bertholde Carter of Sudbury went shopping for a horse in January, they intended to race their purchase at Sudbury Downs, but Classy Mint performed so well at Woodbine Racetrack through the winter months they altered their plans for the filly.

“We were actually looking for a Sudbury Downs horse and she turned out to be better than that. It was a very pleasant surprise,” recalls Bassis. “She moved up the classes at Woodbine fairly quickly.”

With a record of three wins, four seconds and one third through the first four and a half months of the year, trainer Rheal Bourgeois decided to give Classy Mint a shot at the Gold Series in the May 23 season opener at Kawartha Downs and the Northern Luck daughter finished fourth in her elimination. Back in the Gold Series on June 12 at Woodbine, Classy Mint finished third in her elimination, but drew the short straw and did not land a berth in the Gold Final.

Bourgeois opted to skip the third Gold Series event and Classy Mint’s next outing against the cream of the three-year-old pacing filly crop came in the July 21 Canadian Breeders Championship Eliminations at Mohawk Racetrack where she finished fifth. Back at Mohawk on July 28 she finished sixth in the Canadian Breeders Consolation.

“She hasn’t been doing very well the last few races, so we thought we’d try her in a little slower class,” notes Bassis. “And so close to home, yes, it was irresistible.”

The one shadow lingering over Classy Mint’s Grassroots debut on Sunday will be the absence of Edward Bassis, who left Wednesday for Florida and will miss seeing his first ever Ontario Sires Stakes horse compete over his local oval.

“This is the high point of Ed’s life and they left today, because his mother is sick in Florida, so he won’t even be here,” explains Bassis. “He’ll be on the plane Sunday afternoon so I can’t even talk to him. He won’t know the result until he’s done.”

Classy Mint will attempt to deliver good news from Post 1 in the fourth race, with Sudbury Downs regular David Dowling subbing for reinsman Rick Zeron.

“She has the rail for the first time ever and it will be interesting to see what happens with a different driver,” says Bassis. “Rick Zeron always took her to the back of the pack, which gave her quite a challenge.”

Among the fillies Classy Mint will face in her first Grassroots start are three who currently sit among the top 16 point earners. Galaxy Any Size starts from Post 2, Mcmacattack starts from Post 4 and Calling On Angels has the outside Post 8.

Post time at Sudbury Downs on Sunday afternoon is 1 pm and the three-year-old pacing fillies will compete in Races 2, 4, 5 and 7.

For complete entries please go to:

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