GLOUCESTER, ON — After qualifying all four of his two-year-old starters for their respective Grassroots Finals on Friday, trainer Mark Steacy added a pair of three-year-olds to the trailer load he will ship back to Rideau Carleton Raceway next Sunday for the $800,000 Championship event.
Steacy got an assist on his successful Sunday evening from driver Jody Jamieson, who added three more Grassroots Semifinals to his win column, two of them aboard Steacy trainees.
In the fifth race Jamieson sent three-year-old pacing filly Star Of Show after the lead before the halfway marker and the pair cruised home five length winners over Spoiled Beach and Bunny In The Bank, halting the Rideau Carleton teletimer at 1:53.3. Champale Blue Chip rounded out the qualifiers for the Grassroots Final.
Steacy trains Star Of Show for breeders Peter and David Heffering of Port Perry, ON. Through 18 starts this season the daughter of Astreos and Star Siren has six wins, one second and six thirds. She finished atop the regular season standings with 199 points earned through three wins, one second and two thirds in Grassroots action. Sunday’s victory boosted the filly’s sophomore earnings over $100,000.
Three races later Jamieson and Steacy were back in the winner’s circle with three-year-old pacing colt Mild Mannered, who duelled pacesetter Go West Lucky Cam from the outside, and was able to prevail in the stretch for a three-quarter length victory in 1:53.3. Third and fourth-place finishers Stand By Cam and Montanez were four and a half lengths to the rear of the leaders.
Mild Mannered made four starts in Grassroots action this summer, logging one win, two seconds and one fourth for a point tally of 108. The Mach Three son also tried his hand at the Gold Series level, finishing fifth in the Oct. 10 Gold Final at Woodbine Racetrack. Through 21 sophomore starts Mild Mannered has posted six wins, three seconds and four thirds, banking $98,589 for owners Landmark Racing Stable of Elginburg, ON and Dr. Malcolm Man Son Hing of Campbell River, BC.
Jamieson’s other victory came in the fourth race with three-year-old pacing colt My Gift To You, which means the reinsman has the choice of two Semifinal winners as his mount for next Sunday’s Championship. My Gift To You controlled the pace from start to finish, sailing under the wire two and three-quarter lengths ahead of The Ladies Man, Blended Whiskey and Strand Hanover.
The 1:54.1 clocking was My Gift To You’s thirteenth win of the 2009 season through 36 starts. The Camluck son also has seven seconds and six thirds to his credit for earnings of $210,132, and boasts a perfect record of four wins in four Grassroots starts. Jeff Gillis trains My Gift To You for Mark Ford of Slate Hill, NY.
Three-year-old trotting filly point leader Stonebridge Diva extended her Grassroots win streak to six with a 1:59.3 victory in the second race. The Angus Hall daughter and driver Kevin Wallis controlled the tempo after leaving hard from Post 7 and were able to hold off a late charge from Pajama Land. Easter Bonnet and Lunar Stream also advanced to next week’s Final.
Gro Formia trains Stonebridge Diva for breeder Angie Stiller of Arva, ON and Robert Kauffman of New Albany, OH. Formia has sent the filly in behind the gate 12 times and she has returned home victorious on seven occasions.
The other trotting filly Semifinal went to lightly rated Duchess Seelster, who stepped out in the stretch to catch pacesetter Daylon Mystique. Senorita Conchnita and Baskin Wonder completed the superfecta in the 1:58.1 mile. It was the second win this season for Duchess Seelster, who is owned by trainer Susanne Kerwood of Rockwood, ON, Garth Bechtel of Caledon, ON and Glenn Bechtel of Kingston, ON. Bruce Richardson engineered the victory.
A pair of Berndt Hanover sons captured the sophomore trotting colt Semifinals with come from behind efforts. In the first split Burnt Stew and trainer-driver Larry Small grabbed control of the race heading by the three-quarters and swept home to a 1:58 victory over Play Right, Bacio Hanover and Overdraft.
John Christensen of Scarborough, ON bred and owns Burnt Stew, who heads into next week’s Championship on a three race win streak.
Berndt Energy and Brad Forward got a second over trip behind Jamieson and Pembrook Street, then powered down the stretch to a 1:59.3 victory in the second trotting colt Semifinal. Dashing Earl, Anahar Buster and Mopey Corey rounded out the qualifiers for the $100,000 Final.
Windsor resident Bob McIntosh trains Berndt Energy for his partner, and fellow breeder, C S X Stables of Liberty Center, OH.
Berndt Energy was one of two horses McIntosh qualified for next week’s Championship on Sunday, giving him a total of five starters in the lucrative Nov. 1 event.
Rideau Carleton Raceway will roll out the red carpet for the cream of the Grassroots crop next Sunday, Nov. 1 at 6:30 pm.
For complete results please go to: http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/racing/results/data/r1025ridcfn.dat.