SUDBURY, ON — Two-year-old pacing filly Deliciouslynaughty returned to Grassroots action on Saturday evening after a two month hiatus, and delivered an impressive 1:57.3 effort over the Sudbury Downs half-mile.
In rein to trainer Mark Etsell, Deliciouslynaughty started from the advantageous Post 1 and controlled the tempo of the third Grassroots division from start to finish. After reaching the opening quarter in :28.3, Deliciouslynaughty was pressured through the :56.3 half and 1:27.2 three-quarters by Give The Gift, and battled through the final turn and down the stretch against Misty Moonstone, but was able to hang tough through the wire to secure a neck decision.
Misty Moonstone finished a hard fought second, with Francis reaching the wire nine lengths behind the leaders in third.
Etsell trains Deliciouslynaughty for breeder David Snowden of Bowmanville. The daughter of Mach Three and Naught Enough Hare made a victorious debut in the Grassroots program at Kawartha Downs on July 18, then captured her Battle of the Belles Elimination at Grand River Raceway on July 27. A disappointing seventh in the Aug. 3 Battle of the Belles Final, Deliciouslynaughty was absent from the racing scene until Sept. 12 when she laid down an outstanding qualifying mile at Georgian Downs, halting the teletimer at 1:55.1.
The full sister to $231,489 winner Themachmanprophecy now boasts a record of three wins in four starts for earnings of $35,500, and sits fifth in the Grassroots standings with 100 points.
Driver Brad Forward and trainer Bill Robinson teamed up to capture two Grassroots divisions. In the first $24,000 contest, Forward and Windsong Gentille led the field from start to finish to record a five length victory in 2:02. Best Risque and Silent Terror rounded out the top three.
Breeder Bill Loyens and Vito Frijia of London and Harry Loyens of Ilderton share ownership on Windsong Gentille, who sits atop the Grassroots standings with a perfect record of four wins in four starts, totalling 200 points. The Modern Art daughter has tallied six wins and one third in her eight freshman starts to date, banking $56,440.
In the seventh race, Forward employed a come from behind strategy to earn Lyons Anitacol her third Grassroots victory. Starting from Post 5 the pair landed in fourth spot as Rossridge Fastreos led the field to a :28.3 opening quarter. Heading for the :59 half, Forward sent Lyons Anitacol up the outside and the pair was circling out three-wide at the 1:29.4 three-quarters on their way to the lead.
On top by five when she turned for home, Lyons Anitacol sailed under the wire seven lengths the best in 1:57.3. Lucky Jeans and Rossridge Fastreos rounded out the top three.
Burford resident Geoffrey Lyons Mound owns Lyons Anitacol, who has three wins and one second to her credit through the first four Grassroots events for a total of 175 points. The E Dees Cam daughter boasts an impressive freshman record of four wins and two seconds in seven starts for earnings of $62,500.
The other two Grassroots divisions were captured by All Chocolate in 1:59.2 and Coconut Cove in 1:58.3. The gifted two-year-old pacing fillies make their fifth Grassroots start at Windsor Raceway on Oct. 4.
Saturday’s outstanding performances from the freshman pacing fillies wrapped up Sudbury Downs’s 2009 Ontario Sires Stakes season, which also included Grassroots skirmishes for the two and three-year-old trotting colts and the two-year-old pacing colts.
For complete results please go to: http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/racing/results/data/r0919sudbyn.dat.