CLINTON, ON — A pair of top Gold Series fillies padded their bank accounts with victories in Grassroots wild card action at Clinton Raceway on Sunday afternoon.
Two-time Gold Elimination winner Zorgwijk Emani scored the fastest mile of the seven divisions with a 2:03.1 clocking in the sixth race. The Valleymeister daughter and Hall of Fame horseman William “Bud” Fritz allowed local favourite Marclif Victoria a brief moment in the sun before taking control of the race at the three-quarter pole and sprinting off to the five and one-quarter length victoria.
SOS Hotshot delivered an impressive last quarter to nail down second and Dance To Market earned the third-place finisher’s share of the $18,000 purse in spite of a late break. After setting the sharp early pace Marclif Victoria, owned by trainer Franklin MacDonald of Clinton and Clifton Walsh of Wingham, settled for fifth.
The win was Zorgwijk Emani’s fourth through six starts this season and boosted her earnings to $90,677 for owner Rob Dennie of Walkerton. James Dennie trains the talented young trotter, who was second in the Aug. 27 Gold Final at Flamboro Downs.
Fiesty Kindof Luv, also a two-time Gold Elimination winner, trotted to a 2:03.4 romp in the second race, finishing 10 and a half lengths ahead of runner-up French Brocade and 15 up on third-place finisher E B Maggy. Trevor Henry piloted the Fiesty G G filly to her fourth victory in six starts for his partners in the Henry Stable, father Ross and brother Wayne Henry of Arthur. The Henry’s also captured the third-place cheque with E B Maggy.
Trevor Henry was back in the Clinton winner’s circle after the seventh race with Softys Caitlyn, who vaulted into first place in the Grassroots point standings with her 2:05.3 victory. The Henry Stable shares ownership on Softys Caitlyn, who boasts a record of two wins and two seconds in four Grassroots starts, with Wally Yantz of Bloomingdale.
Twinks Able and CR Shedaisy rounded out the top three in Race 7.
Trevor Henry handed over the spotlight to older brother Wayne in Race 10 as the Henry Stable claimed its third Grassroots victory of the afternoon with Indys Kylee. Leaving from Post 1 Indys Kylee and Wayne Henry took immediate control of the race and never glanced back, sailing home to an eight length victory in 2:06.
The win was the chestnut filly’s first in a season that has season her improve with each Grassroots start. Since a less than successful eighth-place finish in the season opener, the Fiesty G G daughter has delivered one third, one second and Sunday’s victory to move into seventh spot in the division standings.
The other divisions went to P C Dreams in 2:06, Cassatt in 2:04.2 and Dalmatia in 2:05.1. The two-year-old trotting fillies resume their Grassroots point race Sept. 27 at Hiawatha Horse Park, while the Gold Series fillies head to Windsor Raceway Sept. 21.
Clinton Raceway continues its exciting stretch of Ontario Sires Stakes action next Sunday with Grassroots action for the talented two-year-old pacing colts.