HANOVER, ON — Walkerton native Randy Fritz guided a pair of three-year-old pacing fillies to Grassroots victory at Hanover Raceway on Saturday evening.
Stepping into the race bike behind Spun Sugar for the second time this season, Fritz piloted the Camluck filly to an effortless 1:55.4 score in the second race. The pair cruised across the finish line two lengths ahead of fan favourite Whitesand Scarlet and four lengths ahead of Twin B Diva.
Trained by Ben Wallace for Bradley Grant of Milton, Spun Sugar boasts a record of three wins, one second and one third in five Grassroots starts this season and currently shares top spot in the division standings with Twin B Diva. The sister to $447,157 winner Cupcakesnwhipcream was also a winner in the Trillium Series season opener in June.
Fritz made his second appearance in the Hanover winner’s circle with Gregg McNair trainee Canadette, who logged a gate to wire score in 1:57.1. Saturday marked Canadette’s second Grassroots start, and her second victory. The daughter of Mach Three and former Ontario Sires Stakes star Legacy Of Fame jumped from twenty-second to tenth in the division standings with the win.
Robert Chapple of Chatham bred and owns Canadette, who was the number three filly on the Gold Series circuit at two, and started her sophomore campaign at the Gold Series level before dropping into the Grassroots program in August.
Just Her Way and Exquisite Alberta rounded out the top three in the tenth race.
For the second straight weekend, Don McElroy also picked up a driving double in Grassroots action. The two-time Lampman Cup winner scored back-to-back victories in Races 4 and 5 with Bob McIntosh trainees Playin With Magic and Magic Maverick.
Leaving from Post 2, McElroy and Playin With Magic settled in behind early pacesetter Goldies Cam and allowed that filly to roll through a :29.3 opening quarter and 1:00.3 half before taking control of the race. Playin With Magic hit the three-quarters in 1:29.3 and sailed home a one and one-quarter length winner in 1:59. Goldies Cam stayed game for second, holding off Admired Beauty.
LaSalle resident McIntosh bred and owns Playin With Magic in partnership with his cousin Al McIntosh Holdings Inc. of Leamington and Dwight Stacey of Mitchell. The Camluck miss is a full sister to $1 million winner Please Me Please, and is now flawless through her last three starts.
Magic Maverick, last year’s Grassroots champion, is now flawless through three Grassroots starts this season. The Western Maverick miss matched Spun Sugar’s clocking of 1:55.4 with an impressive effort up the outside, leaving fan favourite Quail Seelster to settle for second and Profit Forecast well back in third.
McIntosh and C S X Stables of Liberty Center, OH bred and own Magic Maverick, who has accumulated $61,352 this season and currently sits fifth in the race for one of 16 spots in the Oct. 18 Grassroots Semifinal. The three-year-old pacing fillies will wrap up their regular season at Hiawatha Horse Park on Oct. 4.
The other Grassroots divisions went to Literacy in 1:57.3 and Lady Mach in 1:56.4.
Saturday’s pacing filly skirmish wrapped up an exceptional season of Ontario Sires Stakes racing at Hanover Raceway, featuring record performances by the talented two-year-old pacing colts and fillies. The provincial program will return to Hanover next spring with a fresh crop of youngsters eager to make their mark in the track’s history books.
For complete results please go to:
http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rhnvrsa.html