DRESDEN, ON — Dresden Raceway will fans will get the first look at this season’s two-year-old pacing colts when the youngsters arrive in town for Grassroots action on Sunday afternoon.

Eight divisions of freshmen will compete for a total of $120,000 and Malcolm MacPhail is hoping Chimney Fire can take home a small share of the Ontario Sires Stakes purse money.

“I just hope to get a cheque, like everybody else does,” says the Dover Centre resident. “I never go into a race expecting to win it. Even when we had Early Secret I always hoped for second or third.”

Chimney Fire heads into the Dresden event with a pair of starts at the half-mile oval already under his belt. After qualifying on June 6, he made his racing debut in a non-winners of one race event on June 13 and finished fifth from the outside Post 7. Two weeks later the Apaches Fame son finished fifth again, but was moved up to fourth when the colt in front of him caused interference at the start.

“He had a little trouble in the top turn last week,” notes MacPhail, who bred and owns the colt with his brother Robert MacPhail of Dover Centre. “He showed a lot of speed down the backstretch, but around the turn he got a little off kilter and he (Christopher Johnston) had to take a hold and straighten him out.”

Trainer Fred Jewell has been tinkering with the gelding’s shoeing in an attempt to smooth his progress around Dresden’s half-mile turns, and MacPhail hopes that when everything comes together Chimney Fire will be a better horse than older brother No Smoke No Fire, who sports a record of 1:53.1.

“He’s a lot better put together than his brother. He stands perfect,” says the longtime horseman. “And he shows a lot of speed, he just has to learn to control it. He’s an Apaches Fame and they’re a little headstrong.”

Chimney Fire and driver Christopher Johnston will start from Post 7 in the fifth race on Sunday, but MacPhail does not think the outside post will have a significant impact on the young pacer.

“We’re not going to leave with him anyway, so that shouldn’t hurt him,” says MacPhail, adding that a solid result will see the gelding go home with trainer Mark Austin, who conditioned No Smoke No Fire until he was claimed last December.

Chimney Fire will face a field of six on Sunday, including Apache Rain Dance who has one win and one third over the Dresden oval to his credit.

Merlin resident Gregory Drew trains and drives Apache Rain Dance for his partner Hilliard Morris of North Buxton, and the pair will benefit from Post 1 on Sunday. Another son of Apaches Fame, Apache Rain Dance was a $25,000 purchase at the Forest City Yearling Sale last fall and is a half-brother to $250,133 winner Reigning Shark.

Dresden Raceway sends its first race into the starter’s hands at 1 pm on Sunday with the two-year-old pacing colts making their Grassroots debut in Races 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11 and 12.