CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — Grassroots division leaders Panongahela and Champagne Phil made winning look easy at Mohawk Racetrack on Friday evening.
Both three-year-old pacers were able to maintain their perfect records in Grassroots action and remain tied atop the division standings at the mid-point in the regular season.
Panongahela was the first to make it three in a row with a gate-to-wire effort in Race 8 for reinsman Billy Davis Jr. of Cambridge. The No Pan Intended gelding hit the wire in a personal best 1:51.2, three-quarters of a length ahead of fan favourite Dull Roar and Southwind Amazon, who could not reel in the pacesetter.
David Menary of Cheltenham conditions Panongahela for owner-breeder Peter Pan Stables Inc. of Pepper Pike, OH. Through nine sophomore starts the gelding now has three wins and one third for earnings of $27,074.
Three races later Champagne Phil matched his rival’s accomplishment, cruising along on the front end to a one and one-quarter length win in 1:52. Hamilton resident Kenneth Oliver trains Champagne Phil for ICR Racing of Pefferlaw and has sent the Shanghai Phil colt out 10 times this season, netting four wins and $27,528.
Driver Jody Jamieson captured the first Grassroots division with Panongahela’s stablemate Panpero Firpo and the 1:51.1 score marked a significant milestone for the reinsman. The victory in the $18,000 Grassroots division put the Moffat resident into the elite company of drivers that have steered their mounts to over $100 million in earnings.
Just this season the 36 year old has piloted the winners of 234 races and $3.7 million in purse money, putting him at the top of the Canadian driver standings.
The other Grassroots divisions were captured by Pointsman (1:51.2) and Sea Harrier (1:52.3), who were piloted by Guelph resident James MacDonald and are trained by Benjamin Paquette. MacDonald shares ownership on the colts with Floyd Marshall of Jarvis and Peter Porter of Port Dover.
For complete results please go to Mohawk Racetrack Results