WINDSOR, ON — Windsor Raceway fans put their faith in Yankee Pica’s ability to find her way back to the winner’s circle at her local oval, and the three-year-old pacing filly did not disappoint them, cruising to an effortless victory in the second of six Grassroots divisions on Sunday evening.
Kingsville resident Jason Gale returned the race bike behind the No Pan Intended daughter and sent her straight to the front from Post 2. The filly stepped to a :27.2 opening quarter and never looked back, rolling on through a :58 half and 1:26.3 three-quarters before sauntering across the finish line two and a half lengths to the good in 1:55.4.
Luck For Betty and Bunny Mach trailed along behind Yankee Pica on the rail, and picked up the second and third-place shares of the $20,000 Grassroots purse.
Although Sunday’s effort resulted in Yankee Pica’s first piece of Ontario Sires Stakes hardware, the filly is no stranger to the winner’s circle. Her Grassroots triumph marked her sixth straight victory this season for trainer Bob McIntosh of Windsor and his cousin Al McIntosh of Leamington. The pair plucked Yankee Pica out of the 2006 Lexington Select Yearling Sale for a relatively modest $27,000 US and opted not to race her last season. Through 10 sophomore starts, the talented young pacer has accumulated a record of six wins and one second for earnings of $34,530.
Windsor fans also placed their faith in the ability of last season’s top Gold Series filly Shake That Junk, who rocked around the five-eighths mile oval to a 1:53.4 victory in her sophomore debut. Quite Sensational finished four lengths back in second and Southwind Morning delivered a strong come from behind effort to lock up the third spot, six lengths to the rear.
Aaron Byron piloted Shake That Junk to the victory for trainer James “Friday” Dean of Campbellville and his partners Dr. David Powell of Campbellville, P and J Stable of Mississauga and 1140545 Ontario Ltd. of Cambridge. Dean prepped the Camluck miss for her three-year-old season with a May 16 qualifier at Mohawk Racetrack, but opted for the Grassroots at Windsor, rather than the Gold Series at Western Fair Raceway. As a two-year-old, Shake That Junk racked up four wins, including two Gold Finals, one second and four thirds in 14 starts, for earnings of $283,319.
The favourites brought their �A’ game to the Windsor oval on Sunday, as four of the six Grassroots divisions were captured by the fan’s top choice, and none of the favourites finished worse than third.
In the third Grassroots skirmish Brad Forward and Im Just Special were sent off the solid favourites and delivered a commanding seven length victory over Lilbitfasternow and Caseys Acquisition. Camluck daughter Im Just Special halted the clock at 1:55.1 to score her third win of the season for trainer Tom Artandi and owners Theodore and Susan Colby of Bronxville, NY.
One race later favourites Keystone Mystique and regular reinsman Trevor Henry pushed their flawless record to seven, hanging on to a half length victory over a hard charging Ms Goliath. Georgia Peach was four lengths back in third. The 1:54 score was a personal best for Keystone Mystique, who tallied her first six victories over half-mile racetracks. Paul Taylor trains the talented Camluck filly for Glenview Livestock Ltd. of Wallenstein.
The other two Grassroots divisions went to the fan’s third choice Gabrielles Girl in 1:54.4, and second choice Kingfishers Gypsy in 1:54.
The three-year-old pacing fillies return to Grassroots action on June 22 at Clinton Raceway, while Windsor fans will have to wait until October for their second dose of Ontario Sires Stakes action.
For complete results please go to: http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rwrfsu.html