SARNIA, ON — It was a tough night for favourites at Hiawatha Horse Park on Thursday as only one of the fans’ choices delivered the goods in seven Grassroots events.

Live In Love and Randy Fritz were sent off as the top choice in Race 2 and came up with an impressive effort to score a half length victory in a personal best 1:59.2.

Leaving from Post 5, the Striking Sahbra daughter and Fritz took early command of the race and rolled through fractions of :28.1 and :58 before giving way to Valley Courtney. Valley Courtney led the field to a 1:29.1 three-quarters and seemed poised for the win at the top of the stretch, but Fritz shook loose with Live In Love and powered down the stretch to the win. Valley Courtney settled for second and Fiesty Fergie rounded out the top three.

Guelph resident Gregg McNair trains Live In Love for his partners Leonard Gamble of Etobicoke and Robert Frank of Waterloo. Through nine starts the filly has recorded three wins and one second and currently sits third in the race for a post season berth.

Three of the fillies sent off as the favourite made breaks, including Misty Morgan who took herself out of the sixth race at the start, leaving the door open for Only Lonely who went on to a track record equalling 1:59 score.

Starting from Post 7, Only Lonely and driver Dave Boughton delivered a gritty effort up the outside to reel in pacesetter Ocean Mist Dynasty and secure the two and three-quarter length win. Tameka Seelster crossed the finish line seven more lengths back in third.

Only Lonely’s first lifetime victory matched the 1:59 mark set by Whispering Girl in 2004. Christopher Beaver trains the Yankee Paco daughter, who started her Ontario Sires Stakes campaign in the Gold Series, for breeder Tom Crouch of Lexington, KY.

“Mr. OSS” Dave Wall piloted two fillies to victory on Thursday, appearing in the Hiawatha winner’s circle following Races 8 and 10.

Aboard Dan Creighton trainee Elite Duchess in the eighth race, Wall guided the Grassroots novice to a two length triumph over pacesetter Debt Reduction and fan favourite Quintessential K. Making just her second lifetime start, Elite Duchess picked up her second victory with the 2:01.1 mile. Al Libfeld of Pickering bred and owns the daughter of Duke Of York and Emilia Hanover.

Two races later Wall tucked Travelin Supergirl in behind favourite Ena Jane as that filly stepped off a :28.2 quarter, 1:00 half and 1:29.1 three-quarters. Turning for home Wall sent his filly after the lead and Travelin Supergirl sprinted down the stretch to a 2:00 victory, holding off Good Common Cents by half a length. Windsong Erica circled around the outside to be third.

The win marked Travelin Supergirl’s second appearance in a Grassroots winner’s circle this summer. The Mark Steacy trainee was also a winner at Georgian Downs on July 21. Peter Heffering of Port Perry bred and owns the daughter of Kadabra and $298,351 winner Travelin Superlite.

The other Grassroots divisions went to Whitesand Jazz in 2:01; Sass Away K in 2:02.2; and Whatta Hotty in 2:00.3.

The two-year-old trotting fillies make the last stop on their regular season Grassroots schedule at Flamboro Downs on Oct. 10 before the top 16 point earners head to Kawartha Downs for the Oct. 20 Semifinal. Hiawatha Horse Park will host the regular season finale for the three-year-old pacing fillies on Thursday, Oct. 4.

For complete results please go to:

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