LONDON, ON — Young reinsman Aaron Byron had an explosive evening at Western Fair Raceway on Friday, capturing three $20,000 Grassroots events.

The 23-year-old, who had made just seven appearances in Ontario Sires Stakes action prior to Friday night’s event, scored his first win of the evening in the third race aboard Lenny Briscoe. The pair stalked pacesetter Star Reward through fractions of :27.2, :58 and 1:27.1 before sprinting down the stretch to the 1:56.3 upset.

Star Reward stayed game for second, two and one-quarter lengths behind Byron and Lenny Briscoe, with Quaid Seelster hot on his heels in third.

Byron drove three-year-old pacing colt Lenny Briscoe to his third win of the season for trainer Michael Sinclair and owner 1721009 Ontario Inc., Sudbury. The win was the D M Dilinger son’s first in Grassroots action.

One race later Byron piloted fan favourite HBFS Tommy T to an effortless three and a half length score over Bilmar Prince. New Cam, owned by Darryl Newbigging of Komoka, finished third. New Cam led the field of colts to a :28 opening quarter and a :58.1 half before yielding to HBFS Tommy T, who sailed off to a 1:56 victory.

Trained by Ted MacDonnell, HBFS Tommy T has tallied four wins, one second and three thirds in nine starts this season. Friday was the Mach Three gelding’s first appearance at the Grassroots level, and elevated his season earnings to $26,830 for owners Stake Your Claim Stable of Secaucus, NJ.

Cambridge resident Byron completed the Grassroots hat trick in Race 5, using the same stalking tactics to secure Excel Nine his second straight Grassroots trophy. The Astreos colt fought hard for the 1:56.1 victory, hanging on for a three-quarter length victory over Tannamatt Creek and early leader Full Circle Spirit.

Kevin Crowe trains Excel Nine for Crowe Stable Inc. of Cookstown, conditioning the colt to three wins, three seconds and one third in 18 sophomore starts.

Driver Trevor Henry picked up a pair of wins at Western Fair on Friday. The Arthur resident, last year’s Lampman Cup winner as the Ontario Sires Stakes program’s leading reinsman, scored with Kesons Sergei in the first Grassroots division and Yorktown Heights in the fifth.

Kesons Sergei delivered an impressive come-from-behind effort to post the half length win in a personal best 1:56 for trainer Paul Taylor of Clinton and owner Glenview Livestock Ltd. of Wallenstein. Fan favourite Won More Grin was second and Alard Hanover rounded out the top three.

With Yorktown Heights Henry opted for a front-end approach, and the Astreos son dug hard in the stretch to hold off Keystone Debonair, co-owned by Jack Kopas of Ilderton. Ratings Hanover was third in the 1:55.1 mile.

Anders Wolden trains Yorktown Heights for Ely Iversen of Moffat, who now has two Grassroots trophies to display on her mantle.

The fastest mile of the 11 Grassroots battles was clocked by Allamerican Dice, who circled the London half-mile in a smart 1:53.3 in the tenth race. Anthony Haughan engineered the six length romp for trainer Anthony Montini and owners Irving Bork of Ellington, CT and Lightning 5 Racing Stable of Plainview, NY.

Firm Offer was five lengths back in second, while favourite Intrepid Hero was another length and three-quarters to the rear in third.

The other Grassroots divisions were captured by Round About Fame in 1:54.4; Memory In Motion in 1:58; KG Survivor in 1:56.2; and Castlecary Wildcat in 1:55.3.

The talented three-year-old pacing colts make their third Grassroots start on Aug. 1 at Flamboro Downs. Ontario Sires Stakes action returns to Western Fair Raceway in the fall, kicking things off with a Grassroots contest for the two-year-old pacing fillies on Oct. 10.

For complete results please go to: http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rlonfr.html