LONDON, ON — Freshman pacing colt Jans Cam got the second half of Western Fair Raceway’s Ontario Sires Stakes season off to a bracing start with a 1:59.2 score in the first of seven Grassroots divisions on Saturday evening.
The Camluck son and driver Stuart Sowerby jumped out to an early lead from Post 2 and rolled through fractions of :29.2, :59 and 1:28.3 on their way to the victory. With a margin as large as 11 lengths at one point, Jans Cam cruised under the wire seven and one-quarter lengths ahead of CA Fortune and Richlyn Falcon, owned by Richard Griffiths of Thorndale and David Howard of Ancaster.
Guelph resident Gregg McNair trains Jans Cam for his partners Leonard Gamble of Etobicoke, Gordon Mason of Orangeville and George Kerr of Gowanstown. The win boosted the colt’s record to two wins, six seconds and two thirds in 11 starts for earnings of $43,628.
Driver Reg Gassien scored a 2:00 victory with Major Seelster in the second Grassroots division, piloting the Astreos son to a one length score over favourite Little Sprout and Land Baron. Gassien opted for a come-from-behind strategy with the Jim Ainsworth trainee and earned the colt his fourth victory in seven starts. Sarnia resident Ainsworth owns Major Seelster with Martwest Racing Stable of Mississauga, Rocknhorse Stables Canada of Sarnia and William Boden of Vancouver, BC.
The veteran reinsman chose similar tactics for With Character in Race 7 and made his second appearance of the evening in the Western Fair winner’s circle. Content to sit on the rail while favourite Fastreos paced off fractions of :29.1, :59.1 and 1:29.3, Gassien put With Character into gear down the stretch and sprinted to a one length victory in 2:01. Come West Hanover also closed well to finish second and relegate Fastreos to the third position.
Trainer Ian Reid of Guelph shares ownership on With Character with David Hoy of Guelph and his father Ian Reid of Campbellville. The win was the Apaches Fame son’s second in four starts.
The Thief locked up top spot in the division standings with a 2:00.2 victory in the final Grassroots division. Trainer-driver Joe Hudon, Jr. sat fourth with the Rustler Hanover colt through most of the mile and then made a bold three-wide move at the three-quarter pole to power to the two and a half length victory over Clarett and Red Hot Fame.
Acton resident Hudon trains The Thief for his partners Murray Cox of Rockwood and Herbert Boggs of Duncan, BC. The young pacer finished his freshman regular season with five wins and one third in six Grassroots starts for a total of 262 points.
The other divisions went to Presidential Lover in 2:00, Whitesand Hooligan in 2:00.3 and Apache Rain Dance in 2:00.3. The top 16 point earners now head to Hiawatha Horse Park on Oct. 28 for a pair of Semifinals, with the top four finishers from the Semifinal round earning their way into the $100,000 Grassroots Championship on Nov. 6.
Western Fair Raceway’s fall Sires Stakes season continues on Friday, Oct. 22 with Trillium Series action for the two-year-old pacing fillies.