SUDBURY, OCT. 9, 2004 — Driver Ross Battin and trainer Frank O’Reilly combined to take home two of four Grassroots trophies from Sudbury Downs on Saturday night.
The pair kicked off their successful evening in the first two-year-old trotting filly division, with Battin guiding Emme Emme to her first victory of the season in 2:04.1. Leaving from Post 6 Battin and the King Conch daughter moved sharply off the gate and were sitting second behind Sister Paco at the :30.4 opening quarter. The reigning Lampman Cup champion then moved Emme Emme to the front where the pair cruised through fractions of 1:02.2 and 1:33.2 on their way to the three-quarter length victory over favourite Chuckalo Beckster and Joys Incredible.
Orton resident O’Reilly shares ownership on Emme Emme with John Fielding of Toronto. Saturday was the filly’s sixth start of the season and moved her into the top 16, guaranteeing her a berth in the Oct. 28 Grassroots Semifinal at Hiawatha Horse Park.
Emme Emme will be joined in the Semifinal round by her stablemate Taylorlane Bliss, who locked up first place in the division point standings with an effortless 2:06 victory in Race 5. The Royal Ballad daughter cruised around the Sudbury half-mile on the front end and never faced a challenge, coasting under the wire two lengths ahead of Merry Rules and six up on Libby T.
Breeder Edwin Taylor of Grand Valley shares ownership on Taylorlane Bliss with O’Reilly’s wife Dr. Julie Ballinger of Orton. The filly heads into the post season on a three race win streak and boasts a record of four wins and one second in seven starts this season.
Larry Walker secured a win for Draven in the third Grassroots division, stalking favourite and pacesetter Whispering Girl through fractions of :31, 1:02.1 and 1:34.1 before charging down the stretch to the half length 2:05.2 victory. Whispering Girl settled for second and Diminutive trotted into third.
Walker trains and drives the Berndt Hanover daughter for owner-breeders Gresta Limited of Hanover. Like Emme Emme, Draven’s victory secured her spot in the Grassroots Semifinal, giving her a total of 120 points for the season.
Soxy Kosmos trotted to the fastest victory of the four Grassroots divisions, clocking a 2:03.4 score. In rein to trainer Christopher Beaver, the Mr Lavec daughter sat on the outside behind Jameson for much of the mile before making a sweeping move to the front around the final turn and powering off to the two length win over favourite Eager Lois and Windsong Bethany.
Delaware, OH resident Beaver shares ownership on Soxy Kosmos with David Lang of Hillard, OH, Barry Carter of Lancaster, OH and Four Starzzzz Stable LLC of Glenwood, NJ. The win was the filly’s second of the year and moved her into third spot in the final point standings.
The top 16 fillies head to Hiawatha Horse Park on Oct. 28 for two Grassroots Semifinals, with the top four finishers from each Semifinal earning the right to compete for $100,000 in the Nov. 6 Grassroots Championships.
Saturday’s contest completed Sudbury Downs’ 2004 Ontario Sires Stakes schedule, which featured five exiting Grassroots events. The provincial program will be back at the Sudbury oval next season with a fresh crop of young trotters and pacers eager to prove their mettle on the Ontario Sires Stakes stage.