HANOVER, ON — Val’s Joanie cruised to her second straight Grassroots victory in the fourth of seven $15,000 Grassroots divisions at Hanover Raceway on Saturday, locking up top spot in the three-year-old pacing filly division.
The Presidential Ball daughter and driver Paul Mackenzie rolled to the front end from Post 3 and then cruised under the wire one and a quarter lengths on top in 1:58.2. The victory over favourite Camaes Eclipse and Willyourememberme gave Val’s Joanie a total of 200 points through six Grassroots starts that saw the consistent filly finish no worse than second.
Murray Brethour trains Val’s Joanie for breeder Grace Brethour and Lorne Brethour of Sunderland. In 14 starts this season the young pacer has posted a record of two wins, four seconds and three thirds for earnings of $41,893.
Alias Seelster claimed sole ownership of second spot in the division point race with a 1:57.2 victory at Hanover Saturday. The Intrepid Seelster miss and driver Trevor Henry led for the bulk of the race, reaching the wire three and three-quarter lengths in front of CMR Maybe Loaded and The Shebaran.
Trainer Ray Bunn and Lisa Steward of Denfield share ownership on Alias Seelster, who recorded five wins and four seconds in her 12 race season. The talented filly captured three of four Grassroots starts and finished second in the other for a total of 175 points.
Henry also piloted Famous Hunch to the fastest Grassroots mile of the evening, hitting the wire in a smart 1:56.1. Making just her second start since June 16, Famous Hunch powered to the front heading past the three-quarters and opened up a nine length margin on Chillmetodbone and fan favourite Calling On Angels. Glengate Farms of Campbellville bred and own Famous Hunch, who is trained by Jon Nash.
Stuart Sowerby teamed a pair of fillies to victories that will extend their season through the Sept. 29 Semifinal round and Flamboro Downs.
The Guelph resident piloted Stunning Beauty to a 1:56.3 upset in the ninth race, reeling in heavy favourite Southwind Madonna in the stretch to score the one length victory. Leila Hanover rounded out the top three.
Joe Stutzman trains Stunning Beauty for Terry Barnett of Guelph, Michael Williscraft of Grimsby, Paul Henderson of Ancaster and Gaetan Bono of Laval, QC. The former Gold Series competitor’s victory, added to a pair of seconds and one fourth-place finish, gave the Camluck daughter a total of 108 points and boosted her from twenty-seventh to tenth in the Grassroots standings.
One race later Sowerby guided Finding The Dream to a nose victory to bump her into the top 16. The Rustler Hanover daughter carved out all the fractions en route to the 1:58.2 victory and stayed game in the stretch to hold off Cameron D Art and Kaitlyn Rose.
Keith Simpson trains Finding The Dream for John Gilvear of Stirling, SCT. Saturday’s win was the filly’s second in her 13 race career.
The other Grassroots divisions went to Camaronni N Cheese in 1:57 and Crispy Critter in 1:57.2.
The top 16 point earners will now head to Flamboro Downs for two $30,000 Semifinals, with the top four finishers from each Semifinal earning a spot in the $100,000 Grassroots Championship on Oct. 7.
In addition to wrapping up the three-year-old pacing fillies Grassroots season, Saturday’s event also closed out Hanover Raceway’s 2006 Ontario Sires Stakes schedule. The provincial program will return to the Hanover oval next summer with an eager group of newcomers eager to make history on the Ontario Sires Stakes stage.
For complete results please go to:
http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rhnvrsa.html