FRASERVILLE, ON — Woodville resident Brad Rae picked up the catch drive on three-year-old trotting filly division leader Stonebridge Diva at Kawartha Downs on Saturday night and piloted the talented youngster to her fourth straight Grassroots victory.
Starting from the outside Post 7, Rae allowed the filly to float off the gate and was sitting third on the outside when the field swept by the :29.4 opening quarter. Sweeping by early leaders Mapley and Dutchess Seelster, Stonebridge Diva took control of the race before the 1:00.3 half. Paidmedorayme mounted a vigorous challenge heading by the 1:30.3 three-quarters, but Stonebridge Diva was able to shake her off and power down the stretch to a 2:00.2 victory.
Dutchess Seelster turned her pocket trip into a runner-up cheque, while Windsong Felicity toughed it out three-wide to be third.
Rae engineered the victory for trainer Gro Formia and owners Angie Stiller of Arva and Robert Kauffman of New Albany, NY. Through nine sophomore starts Stonebridge Diva has accumulated five wins and $60,664, giving the Angus Hall miss a lifetime tally of $252,598. With a flawless record of four wins in four Grassroots starts, the sister to $697,311 winner Stonebridge Diablo sits atop the division standings with 200 points.
Sitting 42 points behind Stonebridge Diva is second ranked Daylon Mystique, who rocketed around the Kawartha Downs oval to the quickest mile of the six Grassroots divisions. With trainer Wayne Henry in the race bike, Daylon Mystique controlled the race from start to finish, rolling through fractions of :29.1. :58.1, and 1:26.4 on her way to a 1:58.1 clocking.
Stonebridge Encore finished three-quarters of a length back in second, while Sadie Eden was 13 more lengths to the rear in third.
Henry trains and drives Daylon Mystique for his partners in the Henry Stable of Arthur and Daniel McCann of Parkhill. Through ten starts this season the Amigo Hall lass has posted three wins and two seconds for earnings of $50,320. A Gold Series competitor at two, Daylon Mystique boasts lifetime earnings of $236,953.
First time Grassroots starter Another Vixen made a favourable impression on Kawartha Downs fans in the last $24,000 division Saturday. The Kadabra daughter and trainer-driver Shane Weber sat in the middle of the pack while early leader Siena Belle rang up fractions of :29.1 and 1:01.1, then swept by the leaders to take command before the 1:30.3 three-quarters.
Turning for home Another Vixen had pulled away to a three length lead, and while Maple Point was able to halve that margin through the stretch, the filly was a comfortable one and three-quarter length victor in a 1:59.4 clocking. Maple Point finished second, with Paycheck Lavec seven lengths back in third.
Saturday’s victory was Another Vixen’s first, coming in her seventh lifetime start. Raced just three times as a two-year-old, Another Vixen started her sophomore campaign with two unremarkable starts in May, was out of action through the summer months, and then re-emerged in an overnight event at Mohawk Racetrack on Sept. 10 where she logged an impressive runner-up finish in a 1:58 mile.
Weber trains the filly, who was a $70,000 yearling purchase from the 2007 Forest City Yearling Sale, for Thomas and Elizabeth Rankin of St. Catharines.
The other Grassroots trophies were awarded to Pajama Land in 1:58.4; Senorita Conchnita in 2:00; and Maplewood in 1:59.1. The three-year-old trotting fillies wrap up their regular season at Georgian Downs on Oct. 16.
Kawartha Downs fans continue their immersion in Ontario Sires Stakes action this Tuesday, when the three-year-old pacing fillies will square off for a $170,000 Gold Final. Post time for Tuesday’s contest is 4:15 pm.
For complete results please go to: http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/racing/results/data/r0919kdfn.dat.