DUNDAS, ON — Early Renegade trotted her way into the Grassroots post season with a 2:01.2 score at Flamboro Downs on Saturday.

The CR Renegade daughter and trainer-driver Kelly Sheppard circled the Dundas oval on the front end and hit the wire two and three-quarter lengths ahead of the competition in the second of eight $15,000 Grassroots divisions for the two-year-old trotting fillies.

Yorky’s Girl, owned by Aubrey Friedman of Burlington, and Marta Maple, owned by Thomas Durand of Puslinch, rounded out the top three.

The win was Early Renegade’s second Grassroots start and second victory for a total of 100 points and a share of twelfth spot in the division standings. The top 16 point earners through six regular season events will return to Flamboro Downs on Sept. 30 for a pair of $30,000 Grassroots Semifinals, with the top four finishers from each Semifinal earning a ticket into the $100,000 Championship on Oct. 7.

Clifford Sheppard of Dundas owns Early Renegade, who has two wins and one second to her credit through three starts.

Two other fillies also advanced into the Semifinal with their second Grassroots victories on Saturday. Malahide clocked the fastest mile of the eight Grassroots divisions to clinch a berth in the post season for trainer-driver Wayne Henry and the Henry Stable of Arthur.

The Duke Of York daughter stormed down the stretch to collar pacesetter Jailhouse Jodi by a nose and claim the 2:00.4 victory. Delcrestclassyhall finished 15 lengths behind the winners in third.

Malahide was making her second straight appearance in the Grassroots winner’s circle after starting her freshman campaign in the Gold Series, where her best finish was a third in the July 30 eliminations at Rideau Carleton Raceway. With a total of 100 points, she heads into the post season tied for twelfth with Early Renegade and two others.

Wayne Henry also piloted Powerline Mesa to a victory on Saturday for breeders NGA Powerline of Brantford. The Balanced Image miss delivered a 2:04.4 victory over Saranade KC and Armbro Exuberant to jump up the standings into a tie for fourth with a total of 133 points.

The other filly who secured a spot in the Sept. 30 Semifinal with her second Grassroots victory was Disco Inferno, who also used come from behind tactics to score a 2:02.2 triumph in Race 1. Another former Gold Series contestant, Disco Inferno hit the wire one-quarter length ahead of pacesetter St Lads Diva and seven lengths up on third-place finisher Vassar Hall.

Trainer-driver Carl Jamieson of Princeton shares ownership on Disco Inferno with breeder Dr. Robert Boyce of London. Through 12 starts the daughter of Striking Sahbra and Dixieland Jazz has accumulated three wins and three seconds for earnings of $75,447.

Heads Up Play maintained her position atop the division standings with a gate to wire 2:04.1 effort in the ninth race. Fabtowin, owned by Vaughn and Mark Marshall of Campbellville, was one-quarter length back in second and Manvers Maple was just three-quarters of a length back in third.

Morriston resident Larry Walker trains and drives Heads Up Play for his partners Wayne Murakami of Hamilton and Robert Fasken of Oakville. Racing exclusively in the Grassroots program, the Village Barrister daughter accumulated three wins, one second and two thirds for a total of 199 points.

The other Grassroots divisions went to Hetties Lavec in 2:05, Paradox Trillium in 2:03.4 and Georgia Hall in 2:03.2.

Next Friday, Sept. 29 the top three-year-olds will converge on Flamboro Downs for their Grassroots Semifinals, with the two-year-olds following on Saturday, Sept. 30. The top finishers from both nights will return to the Dundas half-mile on Saturday, Oct. 7 for their respective $100,000 Grassroots Championships.

For complete results please go to:

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rflmdsa.html