INNISFIL, ON — Dearest Dorothy kicked off an exciting evening of Ontario Sires Stakes action at Georgian Downs on Saturday night with an impressive 1:56.3 victory in the first of nine Grassroots divisions for the two-year-old pacing fillies.
The Run The Table filly and Paul Mackenzie led from wire-to-wire, reeling off fractions of :27.3, :57.2 and 1:27.1 en route to the two and a half length win over O See My Bo and Run In The Sun.
William Companion trains Dearest Dorothy, who was making her first ever start on Saturday, for owner-breeder Sandy Farber of Palisades Park, NJ.
Driver Ray McLean, Jr. had a successful night at Georgian Downs, steering three straight winners in Races 5, 6, and 7. McLean started his hat trick with an impressive victory aboard Believe In Dreams, who moved from second last to first through the final quarter.
A daughter of A Stud Named Sue, Believe In Dreams stormed by the early leaders with a :29.3 final quarter to deliver her first ever win. Wendys Rocket and Going Coastal also sprinted in from the back of the field for second and third in the $15,000 contest.
Gino Cicero of Hornings Mills owns Believe In Dreams, who finished second in her Grassroots debut at Elmira Raceway on July 1.
One race later McLean was back in the winner’s circle with favourite Change Of Address, who used a front end tactic to score her third straight victory and elevate herself to the top of the Grassroots standings with 100 points.
Daryl Roberts trains the Die Laughing daughter, who stopped the clock in 1:58.2, for Thomas Lawson of London. Magic Jasmine and Machfour Par Tees rounded out the top three.
One race later McLean put the icing on his three-win night when he teamed Scott McNiven’s Shami Cami to a definitive 12 length victory over Armbro Athletic and Hot Shot Rocket.
The 1:57.1 win was the Run The Table daughter’s second straight on behalf Kimberley McNiven of Putnam and Twin B Stables Ltd and Bradley McNiven of Embro.
Ivan Jamieson and Jasper Avenue scored the biggest upset of the night, overcoming Gold Series regular and heavy favourite Rhiannon O Rhye in the fourth race. The duo fired straight to the front from Post 6 and powered home to a three-quarter length 1:57 victory for owner-breeder William Loyens of London.
Rhiannon O Rhye was relegated to second and Whitesand Treasure, owned by Whitesand Valley Stables of Schomberg closed well for third.
The other Grassroots divisions went to Party N Canada in 1:59.3, Pat Me Up in 1:58.3, Burning Point in 1:58.3 and Brokenstar in 1:58.2.
The two-year-old pacing fillies make their third Grassroots start at Sudbury Downs on Aug. 3, while Ontario Sires Stakes action returns to Georgian Downs on Tuesday, Aug. 6 with Grassroots competition for the exciting three-year-old pacing colts.