ELORA, ON — Grand River Raceway kicks off back-to-back nights of Ontario Sires Stakes excitement with seven Grassroots divisions for the three-year-old trotting colts Friday evening.
Fifty-six talented colts will compete for a total of $105,000 at the Elora oval Friday, including the last homebred of Ariss residents Freeman and Grace McEwen.
“They sold their farm so they thought that it was a good opportunity to let the broodmares go,” says Ron Wedow, who trains Crescent Hall for the couple. “But they are not saying, �Not,’ to buying a yearling this year. They’re having a lot of fun with this one.”
Crescent Hall has entertained Wedow and the McEwens with a pair of impressive outings in recent weeks, capturing an elimination of the Dream Of Glory Stake at Hanover Raceway in a personal best 1:59.4 and finishing a hard fought second in the $75,000 Final on Aug. 21.
“That (first mile) was a little bit of a surprise, but he won in 2:01 in Elora, so I figured he could go around 2:00 at Hanover and I guess that’s what he did,” says Wedow. “The other night he got a little roughed up and got a little tired at the end, but he didn’t get beat by much.”
Friday will mark the Angus Hall son’s third start in the Grassroots program — where he has recorded one third and one fourth-place finish — after starting his season at the Gold Series level.
“He’s raced good. There have been a few times we’ve probably got a little high on him when we shouldn’t have,” says Wedow wryly, �But hopefully he’ll put in a good performance at Grand River.”
The gelding’s 2:01.3 victory over the Grand River half-mile came July 30 in an overnight event against older horses. Coming off a classic come-from-behind steer by regular reinsman Jim McClure, Crescent Hall romped home eight and a quarter lengths ahead of the competition.
McClure and Crescent Hall will start from Post 5 in the seventh race on Friday and Wedow expects to see a similar effort from the pair.
“He can leave a bit all right,” says the Hanover resident. “He really races better off cover, but sometimes you don’t get that.”
With just two events remaining on the Grassroots calendar, Crescent Hall needs to capture a division on Friday or in the last event at Windsor Raceway on Oct. 6 to advance to the Semifinal round, but even if the gelding is unsuccessful it will not lessen the pleasure his connections have enjoyed this season.
“He’s really, this year, quite enjoyable,” says Wedow. “He’s just all trot, that’s what he is.”
Grand River Raceway places its first race in the starter’s hands at 7:27 pm on Friday evening, with Crescent Hall and his peers highlighted in Races 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. The Elora oval also hosts Ontario Sires Stakes action on Monday evening with the lightning fast three-year-old pacing fillies arriving in town for Trillium Series action.