CLINTON, ON — Canada Cool stepped off an impressive victory in the two-year-old trotting filly Grassroots season opener at Clinton Raceway on Sunday.

The Angus Hall miss and trainer Mark Steacy fired out of Post 5 in the third $24,000 Grassroots event, and led the field through fractions of :30.4, 1:01.4 and 1:33 on their way to a ten length victory in 2:03.1. The pair crossed the wire three full seconds faster than any of the other Grassroots splits.

Onehallofawoman and The Anointed One toured along behind the pacesetter into second and third.

Steacy trains Canada Cool for Katherine Steacy of Lansdowne, David Reid of Glenburnie, Dr. Malcolm Man Son Hing of Campbell River, BC and Joe Loring of Canmore, AB. The group purchased the second foal of $153,376 winner To B Mz America out of last fall’s Forest City Yearling Sale. Steacy prepared her for Sunday’s test with a pair of qualifiers at Rideau Carleton Raceway, the most recent a 29 length romp in 2:03.

J M Gold Digger opened the Sunday afternoon program with a 2:06.4 win in the first Grassroots division. Starting from the advantageous Post 1, driver Trevor Henry sent the Striking Sahbra daughter straight to the front and was able to hold off fan favourite Steacy with J M Annie. Twin B Miss D, owned by David Wilkinson of Goderich, rounded out the top three.

The Henry Stable of Arthur and James Laverty of Sauble Beach share ownership on J M Gold Digger, a $15,000 acquisition out of the Forest City Yearling Sale. Wayne Henry conditions the filly, who tried her hand against Ontario’s finest in the Robert Stewart Stakes at Mohawk Racetrack on July 5, but made a disappointing break that left her well back of the field.

Emmylou Who delivered the only come-from-behind victory, circling around pacesetter Trevor Henry and Gococoa at the three-quarter pole and accelerating down the stretch to a one and a half length victory in 2:06.2. Dry Tears also overtook the pacesetter to claim the runner-up spot, leaving Gococoa to settle for third.

Lyle MacArthur trains and drives Emmylou Who for Linda Wellwood of St. George, Tammy Aspden of Caistor Centre, Anne Shunock of Dorchester and Diane Ingham of Mount Pleasant. The daughter of Ken Warkentin and $135,269 winner Emerald Seelster was the only one of Sunday’s Grassroots winners with a single qualifier under her belt — a 2:07.3 victory on July 10 at Flamboro Downs.

Purchased for $21,000 US at the Harrisburg Yearling Sale last fall, the filly recouped half of her owners’ initial investment with Sunday’s win.

The final Grassroots division went to Guelph resident Ron Waples and Photogenic Filly, a Malabar Maple daughter he also bred, owns and trains. The pair cruised along on the front end to a comfortable three and one-quarter length victory over Donker Marie and Zorgwijk Katrina, stopping the teletimer at 2:07.3.

The two-year-old trotting fillies are back in Grassroots action on Aug. 13 at Hiawatha Horse Park in Sarnia. Eleven days earlier, Clinton Raceway fans will be treated to a visit from the Ontario Sires Stakes program’s marquee division, the three-year-old pacing colts. Sunday, Aug. 2 will be the third stop on the colts’ high speed tour across the province.

For complete results please go to: http://standardbredcanada.ca/racing/results/data/r0719clntnn.dat.