DUNDAS, ON — Passion Lincoln wrapped up a near flawless Grassroots season with an easy 1:57.2 victory at Flamboro Downs on Sunday evening.
The Village Jiffy son and reinsman Jody Jamieson took command of the race past the halfway marker and sailed home to a two length victory over XLB Joker and Cherry Tree Chuck. It was the fifth win in six Grassroots starts for Passion Lincoln, who wrapped up the season with 275 points, just 25 shy of a perfect score.
Carl Jamieson of Princeton trains the winner of $54,941 for partners Gerald Ross of Downsview, Edward Smith of Mississauga and Brian Paquet of Quebec, QC. The quartet acquired the talented young pacer at last fall’s Canadian Classic Yearling Sale for just $14,000.
Im A Rustler Too scored the quickest win of the evening to wrap up the regular season with a perfect record of four wins in four Grassroots starts. Leaving from the advantageous Post 1, the Rustler Hanover son and driver Greg Wright, Jr. led from gate to wire, hitting the finish line two lengths up on Stonebridge Galaxy and Armbro Botanical in 1:56.4.
Undefeated since July 28, the win was Im A Rustler Too’s sixth straight and firmly establishes him as one of the top contenders heading into the Oct. 24 Grassroots Semifinal at Western Fair Raceway in London. Since the colt’s arrival in Ontario, Guelph resident Bob Young has conditioned Im A Rustler Too for Jeffrey Cox of Litchfield, OH and Richard McNutt of Millersburg, OH.
Sweet Fame assured himself a berth in the post season with an effortless victory in the eighth race, taking full advantage of an early miscue by favourite Sunny Supreme. Firing to the front from Post 5, driver Mark MacDonald never had to glance over his shoulder as Sweet Fame pulled away from the field to a seven and three-quarter length victory in 1:57.3.
The win vaulted the Apaches Fame son from sixteenth into ninth spot in the division standings with 133 points earned from two wins, one second and one fourth-place finish. Lansdowne resident Mark Steacy trains Sweet Fame for partners David Reid of Kingston and Donald Cox of Lansdowne.
Gettin Lucky and Harrys Pacemaker rounded out the top three in the fifth Grassroots division.
The other divisions went to Island Zeeker in 1:58.4, Bando Skye Jay in 1:58.2, Lyons Rocket in 1:57.3 and Letsmoveon in 1:57.3.
The top 16 point earners now head for Western Fair Raceway on Oct. 24 where they will compete in a pair of Semifinals with the top four from each Semifinal advancing to the Oct. 31 Grassroots Championship.
Flamboro Downs hosts the three-year-old trotters and pacers in Grassroots Semifinal action on Sunday, Oct. 26, with the sophomore Championship slated for Sunday, Nov. 2.