ELORA, ON — After suffering from poor post position luck in the Gold Series, Quail Seelster dropped back to the Grassroots at Grand River Raceway for a breather on Friday night and the three-year-old pacing filly left fans gasping as she shattered the track record by almost a full second.

Starting from the rail for the first time since April 30, Quail Seelster fired straight to the front and maintained a healthy two length margin through a :28 opening quarter, a :57.3 half and a 1:26.1 three-quarters. However, when driver Jason Brewer unleashed the filly in the stretch she accelerated away from the field like a freight train, hitting the wire seven and three-quarter lengths on top in a track record 1:54.3.

Ms Michelle D picked up the runner-up’s share of the last $15,000 Grassroots purse, and On The Choo Choo finished third, 16 lengths behind the winner.

The win was Quail Seelster’s first in a 10 race season that has also seen her post three seconds and two thirds. The Camluck miss, trained by Jim Wellwood for 1187422 Ontario Inc. of Gloucester, was handicapped by outside posts in two Gold Final appearances and in the season opening Gold Elimination.

The depth of talent in the three-year-old pacing filly is such that Quail Seelster was actually the second filly to break Grand River’s track record on Friday. Twin B Diva and driver Brad Forward kicked off the Grassroots showcase with a seven and three-quarter length victory in 1:55.2, one-fifth a second faster than the record set by Alexis Seelster just three days ago (July 10).

Another daughter of Camluck, Twin B Diva is trained by Sarnia resident Jim Ainsworth for his partners Twinbrook Limited of Embro, Martwest Racing Stable of Mississauga and William Boden of Vancouver, BC. The win was the filly’s sixth this season, and extends her Grassroots win streak to a perfect three. Exquisite Alberta and Sammy Syd rounded out the top three in the first Grassroots division.

Heading into Friday’s contest, trainer Rob Fellows was hoping that Yankee Butter could maintain her habit of finishing in the top three, and the Grinfromeartoear daughter complied, dishing up a gate-to-wire victory in 1:57.4. Favourite Playin With Magic finished second and Ja El Cash Advance hit the wire third.

Paul Mackenzie drove Yankee Butter to the win for Yolanda Fellows of Guelph, Bruce Robertson and Douglas Seabrook of Brampton and Richard Stewart of Toronto. The victory bumped the filly’s record to two wins, five seconds and four thirds in 12 starts for earnings of $43,917.

In addition to their record setting drives aboard Twin B Diva and Quail Seelster, Brad Forward and Jason Brewer picked up the driving double when Magic Maverick scored in Race 6 and Whitesand Scarlet hit the wire on top in Race 8.

Forward piloted Western Maverick daughter Magic Maverick to the 1:56 win over Kattimon and Secret Grin for trainer Bob McIntosh of LaSalle and his partner C S X Stables of Liberty Center, OH.

Whitesand Scarlet and Brewer delivered a 1:56.3 come-from-behind effort, besting pacesetter Lifes A Trip and pocket sitter Tricky. James Crowley of Norwood owns and trains the Million Dollar Cam filly.

The other Grassroots divisions went to Spun Sugar in 1:56.4, Northern Blue in 1:56.4 and Pompous Pleasure in 1:57.2. The three-year-old pacing fillies resume their Grassroots rivalry on Aug. 11 at Woodstock Raceway.

On Monday, July 16 Grand River Raceway fans will be treated to the Ontario Sires Stakes debut of the two-year-old trotting colts, who will battle in four Gold Eliminations for their first crack at a $130,000 Gold Final. Post time for Monday’s program is 7:30 pm.

For complete results please go to:

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