FRASERVILLE, ON — High tech filly Invitro triumphed in her first lifetime start at Kawartha Downs on Saturday evening, pacing to an impressive 1:56.3 score in the last of six Grassroots divisions.
The two-year-old pacing lass and trainer-driver Doug Brown eased off the gate from Post 6 and were sitting last as pacesetter June In Gemini took the fillies past the :28.2 opening quarter. Heading to the :57.2 half Invitro had gained one length and moved into seventh spot, and by the time the fillies hit the 1:26.3 three-quarters, Brown had the fans’ top choice flying three-wide in pursuit of the leaders.
By the time she turned for home Invitro had a two length lead and she cruised under the wire two lengths up on Lucky Jenny and six ahead of third-place finisher Meadowview Miss.
The product of an embryo transfer, still a relatively rare procedure in horses, the daughter of Camluck and Keystone Trinidad is owned by breeders Gordon Irwin of Cobourg and Murray Ross of Norwood.
The award for the fastest mile of the evening went to R Bs Rocket, who turned her experience in the Gold Series into a 1:56.1 Grassroots victory at Kawartha Downs Saturday.
Rather than using her speed early, as he had done in the Gold Series at Woodbine Racetrack, driver Kelvin Rose opted to stalk the pacesetters through fractions of :28.3, :58 and 1:26.2 and then shift R Bs Rocket into high gear through the final quarter. The filly responded with a solid finishing kick that propelled her to a four length victory over Tricky Fame and fan favourite Lovefest.
Trainer Rocco Auciello of Stouffville and Robert Burgess of Cedar Valley bred and own the Pacific Rocket daughter, who bumped her bank roll to $20,998 with the win.
Dutch Credit Union, owned by Ted Christiano of Pickering, Brian Brain of Port Perry and John Clark of Toronto, also improved on her Gold Series effort with a narrow 1:57.2 win in the eighth race. Trainer Stuart Cochrane opted to travel up the outside through much of the race, but the Make A Deal daughter still had enough finishing power in reserve to nose out Doug Brown and Pauls Peanut at the wire. Armbro Bell was just three-quarters of a length back in third.
Passporttoparadise delivered the fastest last quarter of all six Grassroots winners en route to her 1:57.1 score in the fourth race. The Island Fantasy daughter and driver Terry Kerr trailed Pocketfulastarlite through fractions of :29.1, :59.4 and 1:28.3 then reeled off a :28.1 last quarter to take command of the race and sail under the wire three lengths ahead of Ruthie Supreme and Pocketfulastarlite.
Jim Wellwood of Ancaster trains the talented filly for his partners John Douglas Smith and Ruth Maudsley of Dundas and Miszuk Stables of Hamilton. The other two Grassroots divisions went to A And Gs Rockette in 1:57.2 and In Concert in 1:58.1.
The two-year-old pacing fillies make their third Grassroots stop at Woodstock Raceway on Saturday, Aug. 2, and Ontario Sires Stakes action returns tor Kawartha Downs on the same day with Grassroots action for the three-year-old pacing fillies.