WOODBINE, ON — Local colt Fit For Carl earned his second set of Grassroots points at Hanover Raceway on Saturday evening, scoring a 2:04 victory in the sixth of seven divisions for the two-year-old pacing colts.
Leaving from Post 7, Walkerton resident Terry Fritz and Fit For Carl eased off the gate into fifth spot and were 12 lengths behind pacesetter Goneinajiffy at the :29.2 opening quarter. Heading to the 1:01.1 half Fritz had moved Fit For Carl into the flow of colts pressing the pace from the outside and was sitting fifth by six lengths. At the 1:31.3 three-quarters, Goneinajiffy still had a comfortable lead, but Fit For Carl was rolling up three-wide.
As the colts turned for home Fit For Carl was just three lengths behind the pacesetter and an impressive finishing kick over a sloppy track rated two seconds slower than normal propelled the fan favourite to the half length victory over Goneinajiffy and Ashland Heat.
Owned and bred by Douglas Beckett of Tara, Fit For Carl boosted his Grassroots point tally to 75 with the win. In the Grassroots season opener at Georgian Downs on July 1 the Fit For Life son scored a runner-up finish behind Putasmileon, who has since captured a July 10 Gold Series Elimination at Woodbine Racetrack.
In the other Grassroots divisions your odds of selecting a winner went way up if you followed a simple formula, wagering on any driver with the last name Jamieson or McLean. Jody Jamieson, Canada’s representative and the defending champion in this summer’s World Driving Championship, captured three divisions, Ivan Jamieson won one and Ray McLean, Jr. piloted two colts to the winner’s circle.
Jody Jamieson opened the program with a win aboard Michael Stoikopoulos’ Antony Sue Prano, stopping the clock in 2:00.4, the fastest time of the seven Grassroots divisions. Jamieson stalked his father Carl and Zip By All through fractions of :29.2, :59.4 and 1:29.4 before pulling out to the two and a half length win in the stretch. Big Joe Plumsted was well back in third.
Stoikopoulos trains the A Stud Named Sue colt for Sticky Poultice Stable of York, Codon Stables of Scarborough and John Stergiou of Toronto, who acquired the youngster for just $2,500 at last fall’s Northern Standardbred Yearling Sale. Saturday’s victory — the colt’s first lifetime start — more than tripled the trio’s initial investment.
Jamieson’s second victory came in the third race when he teamed up with his father Carl to score a wire-to-wire victory with favourite Red Star Bubba. The Village Jiffy son stopped the clock in 2:02.3, five lengths ahead of Blackstrap and Cametobebest.
Carl Jamieson of Princeton, Gerald Ross of Downsview, Edward Smith of Mississauga and Brian Paquet of Quebec, QC share ownership on Red Star Bubba, who boasts a flawless two for two record in Grassroots action.
The young reinsman completed the driving hat trick in the seventh race when he took Passion Lincoln straight to the front and powered around the half-mile oval in 2:02.2. Whistle Bear and Armbro Bach were four lengths back in second and third.
Carl Jamieson, Ross, Smith and Paquet also share ownership on Passion Lincoln, a Village Jiffy son they acquired for $14,000 at last fall’s Canadian Classic Yearling Sale. Also a winner on Canada Day, the colt shares top spot in the Grassroots point race with stablemate Red Star Bubba.
Wentworth, NS resident Ivan Jamieson scored his 2:02 victory in the second division with Four Winds, a Gothic Dream colt he owns and trains. Ray McLean, Jr. picked up his driving double with Brett Robinson trainee Freedom Hanover in the fifth race and Bill Robinson trainee Fantasy Island in the tenth. Freedom Hanover, who Jody Jamieson passed up in order to drive fourth-place finisher Die Hard Amos, overcame an early break to score the 2:03.2 win, while Fantasy Island was a handy front end winner in 2:01.3.
The two-year-old pacing colts make their third Grassroots start at Woodstock Raceway on Aug. 16, while Ontario Sires Stakes excitement is back at Hanover Raceway Saturday, Aug. 9 with Grassroots action for the three-year-old trotting fillies.