FRASERVILLE, ON — Darling Caroline scored the fastest Grassroots division win at Kawartha Downs on Saturday night. The three-year-old pacing filly logged an impressive effort up the outside to stop the clock in 1:56 and earn her first Ontario Sires Stakes trophy.
The Gothic Dream daughter and driver Michael Langdon landed in fourth spot when the starting gate pulled away, watching Lonesome Cat log a :28.4 opening quarter. As the field headed toward the :58 half, Langdon popped Darling Caroline off the rail and sent her up the outside where she sat past the 1:26.4 three-quarters. As the fillies turned for home Darling Caroline and Langdon were almost three lengths off the pace, but a strong finishing kick landed them the quarter length victory over Lofty Operative and Armbro Whimsical.
C and I Siegel Racing Stable Limited of Brooklyn, NY own the filly, who is trained by Bill Budd. In 21 starts this season Darling Caroline has posted five wins, two seconds and three thirds for earnings of $45,333.
Brett and Bill Robinson combined for a pair of victories in the six Grassroots divisions. The duo led off their OSS double with a 1:57 win with Hornby Heart in the third race and were back in the Kawartha Downs winner’s circle with Unique X Ample after Race 5.
John Grant of Hornby bred and owns Hornby Heart, who made a bold three-wide move at the three-quarters to score the half length win over Road To Wishes and Shesabeast.
Unique X Ample stopped the clock in the second fastest time of the day, going wire-to-wire in 1:56.3 for owner-breeder Robert Hamather of Exeter. Gigalos Gal and Dream Cast picked up the second and third-place finisher’s share of the $18,058 purse.
The opening division went to Brittash and trainer-driver Roger Mayotte in 1:56.4. The Mississauga resident shares ownership on the Kingsbridge filly with Fern Stable of Willowdale, Ross Warriner of Burlington and Stavros Kourgiantakis of Don Mills. Daylon Choice and Machthree Times rounded out the top three.
Luckbealadytonite scored a 1:57 upset victory in the sixth race with Don McElroy aboard for trainer Mark Austin and Leo Thibodeau of Windsor and Naught Enough Hare was an impressive three length victor in the eighth race for owner David Snowden of Bowmanville, also stopping the clock in 1:57.
The three-year-old pacing fillies make their fifth Grassroots start at Quinte Raceway in Belleville on Sept. 2, and many of the Grassroots regulars will also compete in the Trillium Series at Dresden Raceway on Aug. 25. Ontario Sires Stakes excitement returns to Kawartha Downs on Saturday, Aug. 17 with a Grassroots event for the two-year-old pacing colts.