BELLEVILLE, ON — Ontario’s talented two-year-old pacing fillies wrapped up Quinte Raceway’s 2003 Ontario Sires Stakes season on Monday afternoon with eight impressive Grassroots divisions.
Driver Reg Gassien of Lindsay scored a trio of wins on the Grassroots feature, piloting Ruthie Supreme, Josees Rocket and Leslies Star to victories in Races 6, 7 and 10.
The veteran Ontario Sires Stakes reinsman opened his triumphant afternoon with a 2:02.2 win aboard Ruthie Supreme. The Camluck daughter overcame Post 7 to score the half length victory over pacesetter Hangin By A Moment and Illusionist for trainer Jim Ainsworth of Sarnia and his partners Martwest Racing Stable of Mississauga and Ross Holmes of Ilderton.
One race later Gassien teamed up with trainer Ian Downey to earn Pacific Rocket filly Josee Rocket her first victory since a Gold Elimination win on June 30. Employing a front-end strategy, Gassien guided the filly through fractions of :30.3, 1:01.4 and 1:33.2, then held off a late charge from Risque Business and Let It Ride to score the 2:03 victory by a length and a quarter.
Susan Downey of St. George and Jim Kellites of Hamburg, NY share ownership on Josee Rocket, who boosted her earnings to $33,377 with the win.
Gassien’s final appearance in the Quinte winner’s circle came with Leslies Star, who was making her first appearance in front of a track photographer. The Northern Luck daughter, trained by William Horner for Peter Reich of London, controlled the pace from the start and cruised under the wire four lengths up on Asti Asti and Psychic Hanover in 2:04. Local favourite Sleepover Suzie wound up fourth for owner-trainer Amber Orser of Corbyville and Barbara McCracken of Newmarket.
Cinnamon Snowball scored the fastest win of the eight Grassroots divisions, posting a 2:01.3 score in her Grassroots debut and her second lifetime start. The Rustler Hanover daughter is trained and driven by part owner Wai Man Yeung of Markham for his partner Rocco Auciello of Stouffville.
Auciello also visited the winner’s circle after the fourth race with R Bs Rocket, a Pacific Rocket daughter he trains and owns with Robert Burgess of Cedar Valley. The filly and driver Kelvin Rose stalked pacesetter Armbro Bailey throughout the mile and then sprinted down the stretch to record the 2:03 victory over Armbro Bailey and Sunday Supreme.
The other Grassroots divisions went to Armbro Bell in 2:01.4, S A Cheerleader in 2:01.4 and division leader Cammissy in 2:04. The freshman pacing fillies will butt heads for the fifth time on Sept. 20 at Georgian Downs as the post season point race continues to heat up.
Monday’s event wrapped up Quinte Raceway’s 2003 Ontario Sires Stakes season, which featured four outstanding Grassroots events. The provincial program will return to the Belleville oval next year with a fresh line-up of two and three-year-olds eager to prove themselves on the Ontario Sires Stakes circuit.