BELLEVILLE, ON — Cruisin To Fame toured Quinte Exhibition Raceway in 1:56.3 on Friday evening to log the fastest of eight Grassroots divisions for three-year-old pacing colts.

With Dan Clements in the race bike, Cruisin To Fame took command of the race at the quarter pole and never glanced back, sailing across the wire three lengths ahead of Master Chef and nine lengths up on Stonebridge Fame.

Bill Elliott trains the Apaches Fame son for Gerrie Tucker of Montreal, QC and Sampson Street Stables of Old Forge, PA and the colt now boasts a record of two wins and one second through the first three Grassroots events.

Clements made a second appearance in the Quinte winner’s circle when he engineered a half length victory for Gothic Crusader in Race 4. Cheryl Johnson trains Gothic Crusader for Larocque Racing Stable Inc. of Toronto. The win was the third straight and the seventh this season for the Gothic Dream son, who is flawless through two Grassroots appearances.

Home Run Hudson and Casimir Easy Rider rounded out the top three in the fourth race.

Clements was not the only reinsman to record the driving double in Friday night’s Grassroots event. Ross Battin demonstrated why he is the current leader in the Lampman Cup race with a pair of appearances in front of Quinte’s photographer and Trevor Henry also scored a pair of victories.

Battin got the evening under way with a 1:58 victory aboard Winfall Nasty in the third race. The Andy Hardy trainee toughed it out on the outside before powering away to the one and a quarter length victory over fan favourite The Thief and Another First.

Frederick Woolford of Mount Brydges bred and owns Rambaran son Winfall Nasty, who is now five for 12 this season.

The veteran reinsman picked up his second victory with Scott Barr trainee Armbro Carruthers in Race 6. In spite of starting from Post 5 the pair dominated the mile from start to finish, cruising home two and a quarter lengths up on Can Am Andrew and Adamisastar in 1:57.4.

Tony Aarts of Putnam owns the Camluck gelding, who has amassed an impressive resume of eight wins and one third in 14 starts.

Not to be outdone by his peers, Trevor Henry picked up wins in Race 7 and Race 9 with Putnam President and Back It Up.

The talented Putnam President, trained by Paul Taylor for Glenview Livestock Ltd. of Wallenstein, extended his win streak to five with the 1:57 win over J M Hannibal and Bo Flex. The Presidential Ball son has only been bested once this season and leads the Grassroots race with a perfect 150 points.

Back It Up boosted his point total to 125 with his second Grassroots victory for trainer Daniel Kenney and owner Rock Howles of Lake Orion, MI. The Northern Luck son bested favourite Queenssuccessor and Tymal Winsome to record the 1:58.1 score.

The other Grassroots divisions went to Twilight Baron in 1:58.2 and Rigio Hanover in 1:59.4.

The three-year-old pacing colts make their fourth Grassroots start Aug. 9 at Kawartha Downs, while Ontario Sires Stakes excitement returns to Quinte Exhibition Raceway on the Civic Holiday, Monday, Aug. 1, with Grassroots action for the two-year-old pacing fillies.

For complete results please go to:

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rblvlfr.html