FRASERVILLE, ON — Bernies D Nile earned her first lifetime victory with an impressive front end performance to kick off Tuesday’s two-year-old trotting filly Grassroots event at Kawartha Downs.
The Berndt Hanover daughter, owned by trainer Robert McIntosh Stables Inc. of La Salle, Dave Boyle of Bowmanville and CSX Stables of Liberty Center, OH, was making her first start in the Grassroots program and had no problem with the competition as she cruised home one length on top in 2:04.3.
Bernies D Nile started her freshman campaign in the Gold Series and took on some of North America’s best in the Robert Stewart Stakes on Aug. 19, where she logged a fifth-place finish. Don McElroy piloted her to Tuesday’s victory, which earned an additional $7,500 for her owner-breeders.
Odee Tessa earned the second-place finisher’s share of the $15,000 Ontario Sires Stakes purse and Find The Dot was third. Fan favourite Gaelic made an early break that knocked her out of contention.
Reg Gassien captured a pair of victories on Tuesday’s Grassroots program at his local oval. The veteran reinsman drove Joys Incredible to a 2:03.3 victory in the second race and finished off the afternoon with a 2:03.1 trip behind Allraes Super Girl.
Gassien used front-end tactics to land Incredible Abe daughter Joys Incredible her first victory for trainer George Peters and owner-breeder Len Kordy of Picton. The filly crossed the wire one and three-quarter lengths ahead of Taylorlane Bliss and five ahead of favourite Profitable Venture, who overcame an early break to claim the third spot on the Grassroots podium.
Eight races later the veteran reinsman opted to sit back while Wayne Henry and Ungava attempted to shake the field loose with early fractions of :30, :59.3 and 1:30.3. As the pacesetter stalled through the final turn Gassien shifted Allraes Super Girl into gear and sailed home to the one length victory. Eager Lois and Pretty In Plaid also closed well to be second and third, while favourite Chiquita Mia made an early break and finished a distant eighth.
Brad Shakes trains Allraes Super Girl for breeder Earl Beirnes of Sauble Beach. The Angus Hall daughter made two unsuccessful starts in the Gold Series before trying her hand in the Grassroots on Tuesday.
The fastest mile of the seven Grassroots divisions was clocked by Playfull Image, who circled the Kawartha Downs oval in 2:01.1 in Race 4. The Balanced Image lass, in rein to trainer Charles Sells, went wire-to-wire from Post 1 to score the three-quarter length victory over Northern Bonnet and Maleficent. Stephen Brown of Lexington, KY owns Playfull Image, who also started her career in the Gold Series.
The other Grassroots divisions went to Cheque Lavec in 2:04, Oaklea Nattie in 2:02.4 and Windsong Bethany in 2:03. The freshman trotting fillies are back in Grassroots action on Sept. 6 at Dresden Raceway, while on Tuesday, Sept. 21 Kawartha Downs welcomes the exciting three-year-old pacing colts for their fifth Grassroots event.