ELORA, ON — Grand River Raceway kicked off its 2008 Ontario Sires Stakes season on Monday evening, and local reinsman Trevor Henry made it clear that he is gunning for a second straight provincial driving title, guiding four three-year-old pacing colts to Grassroots victories.

The Arthur resident teamed up with trainer Paul Taylor of Clinton for his spectacular evening, and the pair made their first appearance in the winner’s circle with Legal Litigator in Race 5.

Starting from Post 2, Henry fired the Camluck colt straight to the front and laid down all the fractions. Fan favourite Card Dealer took aim on the pacesetter in the stretch, but Legal Litigator was able to hang on for a neck victory in 1:56.1.

Robert Hamather of Exeter bred and owns Legal Litigator, a full brother to former OSS competitor Wholly Louy ($126,692). Monday’s victory was only the colt’s fifth lifetime start and his second win.

In Race 8, Henry used identical tactics to land Grinning Breed in the spotlight. The Grinfromeartoear son clocked a 1:55.1 victory over The Life Boat and The Ringer, his third in three sophomore outings.

Owned by Glenview Livestock Ltd. of Wallenstein, Grinning Breed was a six-time winner at two, and a Grassroots finalist. The gelding’s first sophomore Grassroots victory bumped Grinning Breed’s lifetime earnings to $69,940.

One race later Henry opted for an off the pace approach with Be Bop For Life, and the pacer responded with a 1:57.4 victory, his first in three 2008 starts. Pacesetter Whitesand Macgyver was shuffled into second, while fan favourite Forpurposeintended settled for third.

Kenneth Merner of Clinton bred and owns Be Bop For Life, who was also a winner in his first Grassroots start at two. The Fit For Life son boosted his earnings to $31,200 with Monday’s triumph.

Finally, Henry guided Ram Of The Night to a 1:55.1 score in the last $20,000 Grassroots division. The mile marked a personal best for the Rambaran gelding, who has never finished out of the top three in nine lifetime starts. Dan Sergeant of Straffordville bred and owns the youngster, who bested Fun Of The Game and Skull Island in his fifth victory.

Driver Brad Forward, who finished tenth in last season’s Lampman Cup standings, took a page from Henry’s book to land Constant Craving in the winner’s circle after Race 3. Forward fired the Camluck colt away from post four and carved out fractions of :27.4, :57.3 and 1:26.4 before cruising under the wire two and one-quarter lengths ahead of his peers in 1:56.1.

Fact Of Fame and Cheyenne Dusk settled for second and third behind Constant Craving, who is trained by Fergus resident Rene Bourassa for M & S Racing Stable Inc. of Guelph. Through six starts this season Constant Craving has been bested just once, and has now repaid the $31,000 Bourassa spent acquiring him from the January mixed sale in New Jersey.

The other Grassroots divisions went to Excel Nine in 1:55.1, Yorktown Heights in 1:56.4, Quaid Seelster in 1:57.3, and Immachulate in 1:55.4.

The three-year-old pacing colts will make their second Grassroots start on June 27 at Western Fair Raceway, while Grand River Raceway hosts Grassroots action for the three-year-old trotting fillies on Tuesday, June 24.

For complete results please go to: http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rgrvrmo.html