INNISFIL, ON — An impressive line up of three-year-old trotting colts will make their way to Georgian Downs on Saturday evening to compete for a total of $108,000 in six Grassroots divisions.
Division leader Tyrone Dillon will be trying to maintain his flawless Grassroots record from Post 5 in the highly competitive seventh race. Among the colts hoping to prevent the Bob McIntosh trainee from posting a Grassroots hat trick is Certified Election, who is breathing down the leader’s neck from second in the division point standings.
Owned by trainer Kent Baker of Coldwater, Cal Patterson of Wasaga Beach and Wayne Smith of Coldwater, Certified Election has a win and a second in Grassroots action this season and will take aim on the Georgian Downs winner’s circle from Post 7.
“Obviously we’d like to be closer, but we’ll do the best we can from Post 7,” says Smith. “You can leave with him, and he can finish too.”
Smith and his partners acquired the Mr Lavec son from last fall’s mixed sale, just prior to the Grassroots Semifinal where Certified Election finished fourth, advancing to the $100,000 Final. A third-place in the Grassroots Final and a fifth in the Canadian Breeders Championship completed the gelding’s season and earned his new owners $21,537.
This season the trotter has posted three wins and one second in eight starts for earnings of $23,575. In addition to his Grassroots victory he captured an elimination of the Dream Of Glory Trot at Hanover Raceway on July 26, then made an unfortunate break powering off the wings from Post 7 in the Aug. 2 Final.
“We knew last year, we thought he’d develop quite well as a three-year-old,” notes Smith. “We’re real happy with him. Other than that one small mishap at Hanover he’s been good.”
Smith adds that the partners have been approached on more than one occasion by parties interested in purchasing the talented trotter, but so far they have opted to enjoy the gelding’s sophomore season, even considering giving Certified Election a shot against the Gold level colts.
“We’ve been doing some talking, keeping an eye on the Golds and seeing what happens there,” says Smith, adding that their primary goal is qualifying for the Grassroots post season again this year.
Jason Gale will return to the race bike behind Certified Election on Saturday after handing over the lines to Randy Waples for the Canadian Breeders, where the gelding was a lacklustre seventh due to sickness, and Trevor Henry for the Dream Of Glory Trot.
“They all say he’s like a Cadillac. I’ve never heard a bad word about him from any of the drivers,” says Smith. “He’s got a disposition like a puppy.”
In addition to Tyrone Dillon, Certified Election will face Otis Seelster, who sits third in the Grassroots standings, from Post 3 and Goodbye Earl, who is heading into the race off a pair of wins at Flamboro Downs, from Post 4.
Georgian Downs sends the first Grassroots division to the post at 7:30 pm and also features the talented three-year-old trotting colts in Races 3, 5, 7, 8, and 10.